
CopiglitNL 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 



Home Games 

FOR ( 

OLD ^ISri:> YOUNG. 



BY 

MRS. CAROLINE L. SMITH. 

iAUNT CARRIE.) 






BOSTON: 

LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. 

NEW YORK: 

LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM. 

1873. 



GrV/¥ 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, 

Br LEE AND SHEPAED, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



Electrotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry, 
No. 19 Spring Lane. 



CONTENTS. 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE GIRLS. 

PAGE PAGE 

Dolls 3 1 Hints for Dressing Small Dolls. 12 

Paper Dolls 4 Shoes and Boots. . 13 

How to make a Rag Doll. ... 5 Ermine Muff. 14 

To make Dancing Dolls. .... 8 Devices with Dolls 15 

To make Foreign Dolls 10 [ 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE BOYS. 

Flower Frames 17 i Hints on raising Eggs and Poul- 

Boxes 17 try 18 



GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 



Hand Shadows 24 

Paper Shadows on the "Wall. . . 25 

Dance, Thumbkin, Dance. ... 26 

Flower Dolls 26 

Chain of Dandelion Stems. ... 27 

Pat a Cake 28 



Little Puss went to Market. . . 28 

Buy my Geese 29 

Card Houses 29 

The Feather Dance 30 

Melon Seed Birds 30 



MUSICAL GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 



Twine the Garland, Girls and 

Boys 31 

The Cradle of Love 32 

Magical Music 32 

Hunt the Fox 33 



The Swiss Peasant 33 

Fingers and Thumbs 36 

Uncle John 39 

Winding the Horn 39 

Musical Fright 39 

iii 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 



Soap Bubbles 

Take Care 

Puss, Fuss in the Corner 

Threading' my Grandmother's 

Needle 

Mother Goose. • 

You are nothing but a Goose. . . 
Rush or Grass Wreath with 

Flowers 

Hunt the Ring 

Here T Bake, here I Brew. . . . 

Chasing the Deer 

Hold Fast and Let Go 

I Spy 

"Fly Away Sparrow 

Push Pin 

My Canary Bird 

The Bouquet. . . • 

Presto ! Change 

The Old Game of Honey Pots. . 
Copenhagen 



The Pillow Game 54 

Clap Out and Clap In 54 

Buzz 55 

Twirl the Trencher 66 

The Old Soldier. 57 

The Queen and her Attendants. 58 

The Bewildered Knight 59 

Alphabetical Compliments. ... CO 

Lady Fair 61 

The Wizard of the East 62 

To bring a Person down upon a 

Feather 63 

He can do little who can't do 

this 63 

How do you like it? When do 

you like it ? And where will 

you put it ? 64 

The Apparent Impossibility. . . 65 

The Turned Head 65 

The Bird Catcher 66 

Questions and Answers 69 



FORFEITS. 



GAMES OF MEMORY. 



" Le Jardin de ma Tante." ... 81 I A Good Fat Hen. . . . 
One Old Ox 82 J Play-Ground Rhymes. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 



Blind Man's Buff. 89 

Shadow Buff. 90 

Blind Man's Wand 91 

Lawyer 91 

Consequences 92 

Rhyming words and Pantomime. 93 

Statuary 94 

Put in a Word 95 



Proverbs 96 

Game of Characters 96 

Sneezing 97 

Traveller's Alphabet 98 

Mind your P's and Q's 99 

Ready Writer 100 

The Dwarf 101 

Fashionable Dinner 102 



Exhibition of the Modern Giant. 104 

Shadow at Command 105 

Brother, I am robbed 107 

Comical Concert 108 

Chinese Shadows 109 

Fox and Geese 110 

Stage Coach Ill 

Menagerie 112 

Quaker Meeting 113 

Resemblances 113 

Initials 114 

Game of Photograph 116 

Magic Numbers 117 

Pencil Sketches 122 

Puzzle Drawings 122 



Magic Wand 123 

Rhyming Game 124 

TliePost 125 

Crumbo 126 

Game of Buried Cities 127 

Watcli-word Game 129 

Post-Office 131 

Game of Twenty Questit)ns. . . 131 

Alphabet Game 134 

Arithmetical Puzzle Game. . . 135 

Family Newspaper 136 

An Impossibility. 137 

A Simple Little Puzzle 138 

The Giantess 138 



NEW GAMES. 



Matadore 139 1 Gronunets. , 

NATURAL MAGIC. 



Mysterious Pendulum 143 

Chemical Feat 144 

Magic Pictures etched by the 
Company 144 



A Borrowed Shilling in a Worst- 
ed Ball 145 

Dancing Spectre 146 

Winged Sixpence 147 

Handwriting on the Wall. ... 148 



THE SYBIL. 



Fiat of Fate 150 | Fate Box. 

Flower Fate 153 1 



MUSICAL GAMES, OR HOME DANCING. 



Pop goes the Weasel 155 

Ugly Mug 155 

Lancers 157 

Le Prince Imperial Quadrille. . 160 

Common Cotilou 162 

White Cockade 163 

Ninepin Dance 164 



Basket Dance 164 

Waltz and Polka Quadrille. . . 164 

Caledonian Quadrillps 165 

Sir Ro?er De Coverley, or Vir- 
ginia Reel. 166 

March Quadrille 177 



CONTENTS. 



HEAD-WORK. 



Conundrums 169 

Enigmas.Charades, and Riddles. 171 
Double Acrostic Charades, and 

Cross-word Enigmas. . . . 176 



Puzzles 179 

Arithmetical Problems 181 

Squaring Words 182 



ANSWERS TO HEAD-WORK. 



Conundrums 184 

Engimas, Charades and Riddles, 186 
Double Acrostic Charades, and 

Cross-word Enigmas. ... 187 



Puzzles 188 

Arithmetical Problems 189 

Squaring Words 190 



HOME a^MES. 

^ttittstmtnls for f ittle iirk 



1.— DOLLS. 

Give your girls a number of substantial dolls to play 
with, and pieces of cotton cloth, calico or muslin-delaine, 
ribbons, &c., with which to make dresses ; and do not 
buy elegantly dressed dolls, which can be used only on 
great occasions. We will tell you how a little girl we 
once knew played dolls. Her first doll was a " rag 
baby," that her aunt made and dressed for her, like a 
real child. She had even a night-dress and cap. She 
would amuse herself by hours together, dressing, undress- 
ing, and singing it to sleep ; she would have it in her 
arms every night. As she grew older, she carefully treas- 
ured all bits of finery, and everything she could manufac- 
ture into clothing for her doll. A little girl lived near, 
and they used to visit daily with their dolls. Christmas 
always added to their treasures, and they finally conclud- 
ed to join forces, and commence a baby-house on a large 
scale in a spare room. They had a parlor, dining-room, 
bed-rooms, kitchen and pantry, all completely furnished, 

3 



4 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

and a dozen nice dolls. Every leisure moment was spent 
in this baby-house. They had regular washings and 
ironings. They had little tubs and flatirons of their 
own. They baked bread, cookeys,and ginger-cakes, for 
their mother's cook would good-naturedly show them 
how to mix and make wee bits of loaves. A thimble 
was often used as a cookey or biscuit cutter. 

Such plays give girls a taste for domestic employments, 
and aid them in becoming good housekeepers ; and good 
housekeeping is always a desirable, and sometimes a very 
necessary accomplishment. 

They would often " play school," and in asking ques- 
tions, and answering for their dolls, the lessons they were 
taught at school were more firmly impressed on their 
minds. 

If they had birthday parties, company was always 
invited at two ; and their " party " (that is, refresh- 
ments) were served at half-past four in winter, and five 
in summer. Beaux they did not think of. If little boys 
joined them, they were their playmates, and no more. 
They always took their dolls, and after playing simple 
games they would resort to them as their chief amuse- 
ment. 



2.— PAPER DOLLS. 

These cheap dolls are a great blessing to all children. 
The poorest child can afford to buy them. We advise 
all parents to buy freely such dolls for their children, 
and teach them to cut and arrange the painted dresses ; 
do not do it yourself; it may be easier than to patiently 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE GIRLS. O 

teach your child the way it should be done ; but you 
will never regret it in after years, as it will teach her how 
to use her scissors well — a necessary accomplishment 
for every young lady. Paper dolls, sent in quantities 
Christmas or New Year, to all places where poor little 
children are cared for, afford them much pleasure in a 
cheap way, besides teaching them the use of the scissors. 



3._H0W TO MAKE A RAG DOLL. 

Dolls of the present day are quite works of art, and 
afford great scope for successful adornment. In making 
and cutting out dolls' clothing, a young girl acquires a 




skill with her needle which will be invaluable to her in 
future years. But the doll that little children care for 



b AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

most is a rag doll, and we will give some directions 
how such a doll can be made. Materials required : A 
good stout piece of white cotton ; as many rags as you 
can procure, or cotton wool ; a strong needle and thread, 
red, dark, and light brown, and blue thread. A small 
piece of glazed linen, and an old white kid glove might 
be made useful. Take a piece 6f paper and cut out in it 
the patterns annexed, as large or as small as you please. 
Then fold your cotton double, and pin the paper patterns 
on to it ; cut them out in the cotton. (If you desire a large 
doll, some older friend can enlarge the patterns given 
according to any size you prefer.) Sew them closely 
all around, except at the bottom of the first pattern, 
No. 1, and the top of the legs, No. 2. (It would be 
well to have them stitched by a sewing machine, as it is 
very necessary to have them tightly stitched.) Then if 
you use rags to stuff them with, cut the rags up into fine 
shreds ; cotton wool is the best to use, but rags are 
cheaper. Stuff the body well and evenly, making it 
round and in good shape by stuffing. You must cut your 
doll out larger than you intend it to be when finished, 
because the stuffing takes up the material and makes it 
smaller. Leave enough unstuffed cotton at the bottom 
to enable you to stitch it neatly together. Next stuff the 
legs, leaving a space at the top for you to stitch it 
together there also ; stuff the feet first, by pushing the 
stuffing in with a long stick or knitting needle ; some 
persons stitch the end of the foot to resemble toes. 

Next stuff the arm, and stitch it at the top. The hand 
is often made of kid cut from an old white glove, shaped 
and stitched on to the arm. No. 3 ; some persons make 
both arms and hands of glazed linen. 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE GIRLS. 7 

Now sew the bottom of your body to the top of the legs. 

This will enable your doll to 

bend and sit down. Then 

stitch the arms to the body. 

To make the head, cut out two 

shapes, first in paper, then in cotton or linen, like Figs. 

4 and 5. Take one of them and work on to it, in light 





brown thread, the nose, eyelashes, and eyebrows, as in 
pattern 4. Stitch' the hair with darker brown thread. 
Then stitch in the mouth in two red lines of thread, and 
the eyes of blue ; sewing silk is often used in the place 
of thread. To make this easier you may get some friend 
to draw the features for you, or what will look still bet- 
ter, coax some artist friend to paint the face for you. 
Then sew the two shapes of No. 4 and 5 together, leav- 
ing the neck open to stuff the head, and gather in the large 
round part of the head as you sew it. When it is stuffed 
quite full, sew it to the body, and Dolly will be ready to 
dress. 

Some sew a piece of brown or black silk over the back 



AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



part of the head to represent hair and conceal the seams. 
But a baby's cap can be made to hide all imperfections, 
and look more tasteful. The joints will be covered in 

dressing. 



4.— TO MAKE DANCING DOLLS. 

These dolls, when well printed and prettily dressed, 
are welcome gifts to little dwellers in the nursery, as 
well as nice contributions to a fair. 

To make them you must have a large sheet of thick card- 




1. This string is attached to the tie of the legs also, and moves hoth. 
board, some fine twine, paints, &c. The body and limbs 
are cut out as in the pattern here given, but of a much 
larger size. Then the limbs are tied to the body as 
shown in the pattern, very loosely. A long string 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE GIRLS. 



attached to the middle ties will, when pulled, make the 
doll dance. 

She must be dressed in a full, light, ballet-dancer's 
costume, setting well out, and not much lower than the 
knee, just covering the joint in the cardboard. A 
wreath of flowers can be fastened on to the head. , The 
clothes are sewed on to the cardboard body, and will 
not, of course, bear removal. The shoes should be 
painted on the feet. 

If you prefer, you can make a boy doll (dressed as a 
Turk) in the same manner, but 
the ballet-girl dolls are much easier 
to make, and look better. The 
arms and the legs are fastened to 
the body by loose strings passing 
through eyelet-holes made in each, 
and tied at the middle of the back. 
(See back view of figure). A 
long string or narrow ribbon fas- 
tened to the horizontal strings, 
will, when pulled, move all the 
limbs at once. A Highlander 
makes a good dancing doll. His 
legs should have the cross gaiters 
painted on them, and his kilt must be stiiFened a little, 
so that it may not impede the free movements of his 
limbs. 

The common paper Harlequin is far inferior to these 
dressed dolls ; but the faces and hair should be nicely 
painted in water colors. 

If the little manufacturer is not able to draw, and can- 
2 




10 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

not persuade any older person to paint the dolls' faces, 
you can take a head from some fashion-plate photograph 
or engraving, and paste on to the body. But of course 
the head must correspond with the body. 



5. — FOEEIGN DOLLS. 

It is amusing to dress a number of dolls in the cos- 
tumes peculiar to each nation. To do this quite correctly, 
good pictures should be consulted, that the national dress 
may be faultlessly represented ; but a few hints, perhaps, 
may be useful. 

The Norwegian feasant may be attired in a blue 
merino jacket, with red braid sewn at the edges, and five 
or six bars of the same put across the breast ; brown 
striped trousers fastened under the knees, white stock- 
ings and brown shoes. He should have a flat, red skull- 
cap, made either in crochet with red wool, or in paper 
covered with merino or velvet. 

The Norwegian peasant girl should have her hair 
plaited with narrow red braid in two long tails, a fijU 
white chemise with sleeves. This waist can be fastened 
at the throat and wrists with large silver beads to repre- 
sent buttons, and a low bodice of red cloth or merino, 
with broad shoulder-straps (no sleeves). Her dark 
petticoat must be short and full, and edged with red braid, 
and her shoes and stockings black. 

The dress of a German peasant girl is very pretty. A 
brown merino skirt edged with two rows of red braid, a 
low, red bodice, laced in front with black silk or cord, a 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE GIRLS. 11 

white chemisette and sleeves, and a red cap with a black 
band tied under the chin, a white apron with a gauffered 
frill round it, blue stockings, and shoes with buckles. 

The dress of the Italian women varies greatly in dif- 
ferent parts of Italy. A Roman woman's holiday dress 
would be a scarlet or black velvet bodice, laced in front 
"and embroidered with gold silk ; a red or blue stuff petti- 
coat, yellow or green sleeves, and white chemisette, and 
a square of linen folded several times over the crown of 
the head, with ends hanging down over the shoulders by 
way of a cap. She must have necklace and earrings, 
made of gilt and beads, to represent her jewels. 

A Russian woman^s dress would be pretty for a doll. 
Give her a crimson cotton or silk skirt, with a low bodice 
of the same, with broad straps over the shoulders, a 
white chemisette and sleeves, earrings, and a head-dress 
made of paper or pasteboard, in the shape of a peacock's 
tail spread out, and covered with gold and silver cloth, 
or of some pretty color, — green or rose-pink, and gold, — 
ornamented with pearl beads, with colored ribbons fas- 
tened to it and hanging down behind. Colored stockings 
and very smart shoes of cloth of gold or embroidered 
silk. 

The Russian men wear sheep skins with the wool 
inside, short indigo-blue trousers, very wide, and tucked 
into their long boots, reaching to the knees, flat caps and 
huge beards. These might be made of tow or knitted 
worsted unravelled ; rough cloth used for overcoats could 
imitate the sheep-skin caftan. In summer they dispense 
with the sheep-skin garments, and only wear pink shirts 
and trousers. 



12 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

We could enumerate many more pretty costumes, but 
if any more are desired, directions can be easily obtained 
from those who have visited different countries. 



6. — HINTS FOE DRESSma SMALL DOLLS. 

Small dolls, made entirely of china, are rather trouble- 
some to dress, because the arms are generally fastened 
to the sides as far as the elbow. • The best way is to 
make a skirt of ribbon, rather wider than the whole 
length of the doll, and gather it close under the arms ; 
the skirt being longer than the doll, and the ribbon stiff, 
the doll will stand upon it, and the naked feet will be 
concealed. Tie a piece of narrow china or satin ribbon 
over the body, crossing it in front over the chest, and 
again over the back, finally tying it as a sash, with long 
ends. For rather large dolls, a piece of lace should be 
put across the body first, and the ribbon over it. The 
china dolls, with pretty painted boots, and hair dressed in 
nets, &c., must of course have short petticoats, and 
drawers of cotton or fine cambric, and skirts of ribbon, 
with or without lace over them. The body should be of 
lace and ribbon crossed, or made as a berthe. A pretty 
frock can be made of two strips of embroidery edging, 
put on, one above the other, as a double skirt, and a nar- 
rower piece of the same for the body. For a baby's 
dress for a china doll three inches long, a strip of cam- 
bric four or five inches long by ten wide will be required. 
Make it up in one piece, gather it round the neck, and 
trim mini? that and the arm-holes with narrow lace ; 



AMUSEMENTS FOR, LITTLE GIRLS. 13 

trim the skirt with the same round the bottom and down 
the front. Put another piece of the lace over the front 
of the body, and tie a narrow ribbon round the waist and 
across the chest ; tie up the sleeves at the shoulder with 
bows of the same. A short under petticoat of cambric 
will be required. 

A little boy's dress can be made of trousers of scarlet 
merino or flannel, and wind a strip of the same material 
over the shoulders and arms down to the eiuows. This 
will give the effect of a frock body with short sleeves, 
when the pinafore is put on, which should be a plain brown 
linen blouse, tied in round the waist with a piece of scar- 
let braid, and edged round the wide arm-holes with nar- 
row broderie Anglaise or crochet. Tiny shoes can be 
made of a scrap of kid or morocco, or stout silk or 
ribbon. 



7. — SHOES AND BOOTS. 

We often hear little girls wishing they had a pattern 
to make shoes for their dolls. We will give an illus- 
tration of two different shoe patterns. 

The shoes require no explanation. They look best 
made of morocco or kid, with soles of fine leather. 
For the boots, cut the toe pieces of cloth or velvet, to 
the shape of Fig. 2 ; join the short sides, marked a and 
&, to the toe piece, and the long side e to the sole round 
the heel. Cut a strip of kid, fig. 3, and put round the 
heel, over the cloth. Sew up the front, and put small 
beads to represent buttons ; or turn down, and herring 
bone the edges, and lace them up with a piece of black 



14 



AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



silk or narrow braid ; leave out short ends of the braid 
at the top, and put tassels of black silk. 




8.— ERMINE MUFF. 

A GOOD imitation ermine doll's muff can be crocheted. 
Make a chain of fine white worsted, of twenty stitches, 
rather tightly worked ; join, and work about twelve 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE GIRLS. 15 

rounds in plain double crochet ; fasten off tightly and 
draw up the ends. Line the muff with cotton wadding 
and silk, and finish it with a rosette or bow of ribbon at 
the ends. Tie in ends of black worsted at regular dis- 
tances over the muff, to represent ermine. It may be 
made also in shades, two rounds of each shade, or with 
a scarlet centre and two rounds on each side in white. 
Pretty muffs and tippets can very easily be made, and 
even cloaks for dolls, out of nice cotton flannel with 
a long nap ; cut them in the right shape and make them 
up with the nap side out ; then take black paint, and with 
a brush paint in little spots to resemble the black ends on 
ermine. 



9._ DEVICES WITH DOLLS. 

Very pretty pincushions can be made with dolls, mak- 
ing the skirt into a pincushion, placing the body inside 
and stuffing it with bran. Then the doll can be dressed 
in any fancy style desired, as a nun, as an old woman, 
with an apron with pockets for a thimble, the apron 
forming a needle book, and a pair of scissors for a cane. 
Old market-woman, a basket fastened to the arm, to hold 
thread or thimble. Or a doll can be placed on a large, 
round toilet cushion, opening as a box. Dolls' heads can 
have a stopper fitted into the neck, and the stopper put 
into a bottle for perfume. The bottle covered with a 
skirt, with a red riding-hood cloak fastened to the head. 



16 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



^nmsemtnte for little ^ogs. 



If boys desire a hammer, nails, boards, &c., do not 
deny them. When a baby girl commences to play with 
a doll, a baby boy will pound, or pretend to hammer 
nails, or drive horses. It is useless to attempt to make 
boys love quiet sports. Set aside some spare spot in 
your house, where noise will not disturb your household, 
or, what is better, build a little work-room especially for 
their use. It will be money well invested. Thus, by 
early cultivating their tastes, and by giving them employ- 
ment, seed may be sown which will yield an abundant 
harvest. 

Mothers ! do not, by yielding to your over-sensitive 
nerves, stupefy your boys. If they are good for any- 
thing, they must and will make a noise. It is better to 
let them have a place of their own, but you should fre- 
quently inspect their work or play, and let them see you 
are interested in all they do. If they make you a flower 
frame, praise it, and if they show a taste for mechanics, 
suggest to them other useful articles to be constructed, 
such as boxes, silk-winders, &c. When you make pres- 
ents, give them tools. Encourage them also, by judicious 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE BOYS. ' 17 

rewards, to keep their room neat and their tools in 
order. 

The following simple directions for making a few use- 
ful articles may be of service to boys who like to exercise 
their mechanical ingenuity. 



1.— FLOWER FRAMES. 

Simple frames are made by taking two long, narrow 
strips of wood, and several small ones of different 
lengths, and nailing the latter to the longer ones at equal 
distances apart ; or a still better way is to make holes in 
the long strips and insert the ends of the short ones. 
When they are finished paint them green. These frames 
can be made in the form of a partly-open fan. A 
square frame can easily be made. The prettiest frames 
are made of willows, wire, or rattans. Take strips of 
wood and burn or bore holes through them at equal 
distances. Then insert the wire, or rattan, or willow, 
and twist them around in different forms, fastening the 
ends firm ; then paint or varnish them. 



2.— BOXES. 

Pretty boxes can be made of any common wood, by 
simply staining them with asphaltum varnish. Then 
varnish with several coats of copal. After they are well 
dried, take some pumice-stone and polish them. If 
necessary, varnish carefully once again. Your common 



18 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

pine wood will then be turned into black walnut, tigbly 
polished. Picture frames, brackets, little book-racks, 
stands, crickets, and even sleds and wagons can easily be 
made by an ingenious boy, and stained in this manner or 
painted. Your sisters can ornament them with leather 
work made to imitate carved wood. If you are puzzled 
in making any of these articles, go to any workshop and 
the workmen will tell you how to make them, if you 
speak properly to them. Never say, my dear boys, you 
have nothing to do. 



3. — HINTS ON RAISING EGGS AND 
POULTRY. 

We advise our young boy friends, if they have any 
leisure time, to raise hens. We hope their friends will not 
object. Build your own hen house. Buy your hen feed, 
besides the refuse of the house, and purchase an account- 
book in which you can keep account of the eggs, and the 
hens you raise, and all you spend. Sell your eggs to 
your parents (as we trust they will consent to purchase 
both hens and eggs) when you desire to sell. It is a 
good lesson to teach boys how to trade. A lady skilled 
in the science of farming, and all domestic duties, has 
kindly written the following article on " Hens," which we 
advise our readers not to pass by. 

" There are good profits to be made in this line of 
business. Many a boy or girl could save enough in a 
few years to partly educate one's self. 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE BOYS. 19 

Various are the fancy breeds now offered in the mar- 
ket, and some of them are very desirable. The light 
Brahma Pootras, mixed with the White Leghorns, make 
a fine cross ; they are good layers, not too much inclined 
to set, are not as clumsy as the Brahmas, and are excel- 
lent to eat. The Dorkings and Black Spanish are far 
superior to the common fowls one often sees. 

Three hens and a rooster are a good beginning for a 
poultry yard, though more can be as easily cared for, and 
the profits will be larger. It is said that each hen will 
pay a profit over and above her feed, of one dollar per 
annum. With extra care, she can be persuaded to make 
even a larger dividend. 

Poultry requires warm, sunny quarters, with glass win- 
dows, with wired protections. The roosts should be 
washed over with kerosene every month or so, to kill all 
lice and parasites ; the smell of it being as obnoxious 
to these minute pests as it is to us. Plenty of sand and 
gravel should be provided, also lime, charcoal, and bits 
of mortar. If hens are not able to collect the essentials 
for their shells, the eggs will drop without the covering 
nature has intended for them. Wood or coal ashes are 
good for them ; bone meal is much to be desired. Place 
a pan of it in your hennery, and see how they will crowd 
round it. Some or all of these carbonaceous substances 
are absolutely needful. Variety is the spice of our life, it 
is said ; it surely is in hens' food. If you feed your biddies 
on corn or on oats every week in the year, they will not 
return you a good interest. But give them hominy one 
day, oats another, buckwheat in the hulls another, 
screenings from the grist-mill at another time, and soon 



20 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

you will witness the good effects of variety. Each heu 
will commence laying as soon as possible, to prove to you 
how much she enjoys the daily food you so wisely pro- 
vide for her comfort. 

Pure water is also required ; keep the pan as clean as 
you can, and have water always in it. All the slops of 
the house can be fed to the hens with good advantage. 
Keep an old kettle, and request " Bridget " or " Dinah" 
to turn into it all the potato parings ; odds and ends of 
every description ; even tea and coifee grounds do not 
come amiss. Mrs. Hen is not fastidious in her appetite ; 
she welcomes the savory mess. If to it you add all the 
soap grease, she will add greatly to your store of eggs. 
Poultry in a wild state subsists greatly upon worms, grubs, 
&c. ; shut up and domesticated, they require animal food 
to thrive well, as much as you need beef, mutton, and 
lamb to develop your muscles and tendons. Fat of all 
kinds is very advantageous to hens, and if it is melted 
and mixed up with boiling hot food, during the winter 
months, no hen fed with it can help laying eggs. She 
has to do it. Soap and oil-cake furnish excellent food. 
Beef's and hog*s liver, chopped fine, are as good to them 
as fat angle-worms. The boiled food should be given at 
noon, every day during the cold weather, and at least 
once a week add to it a tablespoonful of cayenne pepper. 
This is the best hen tonic known ; it stimulates the laying 
propensities. If it is very cold weather give the pepper 
twice a week. 

If poultry is fed according to these directions, eggs 
are as certain as roses in June. 

Good nests should be provided ; old nail casks make 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE BOYS. 21 

quite good ones. A handful of. lime or ashes should be 
scattered at the bottom, then soft hay placed in it. The 
advantage of these nests is, that two hens cannot lay at 
once in them, and they are too deep for the hens to eat 
their eggs convenientl3^ , A hen learns this most objec- 
tionable habit from accidentally breaking an egg^ then 
tasting its contents ; she appreciates the delicacy, and Avill 
soon devour all she lays. If a hen has formed this habit, 
cut off her head ; she is fit only for " pot or pie." 

Never give the hens broken egg-shells ; eating them 
teaches them to eat their eggs. Far better to keep them 
to settle coffee grounds ; they are invaluable for that 
purpose. 

When a hen desires to set, let her take up her quarters 
to suit herself ; put china eggs under her for a day or two, 
to jadge if she really intends to do so, or is " only play- 
ing," as the children say. If she keeps quiet, then place 
under her from thirteen to fifteen of the latest eggs laid ; 
if all were laid in one day, so much the better, they will 
all hatch in one day. If possible, remove her from the 
hennery ; this can be done when she is setting on china 
eggs, and if she remains there, then give her the eggs she 
will hatch. 

If left in the hennery she will be disturbed by other 
hens. Instinct teaches all fowls to hide their nests. She 
should be well fed and have access to plenty of v/ater. 
In three weeks she will proudly exhibit her downy brood. 
For the first day the chickens require no food. Nature 
has provided it in the egg-shells. Boiled Indian corn 
pudding is the best food for them ; the meal, if not boiled, 
should swell over ni":ht in water. Kaw meal swells in a 



22 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

chicken's crop, and will kill it. Many chickens die from 
being fed upon meal hastily stirred up and thrown to 
them. This is an all-important part of chicken feeding. 
Shorts well scalded can be alternated with the meal. 
Bits of bread softened in milk is good for them, bat 
curded milk is the best of all ; chickens can be raised for 
six weeks or more on nothing else. The whey can be 
fed to the hogs. 

The coops for chickens should have a sunny aspect. If 
placed under cherry or plum trees, they will help you to 
a large crop of fruit, by devouring all the embryo worms, 
and chasing the " millers " and moths, which are much 
sought after by them. They will devour the bugs on 
melons, cucumbers, and squashes ; while they are small 
they are capital assistants in the kitchen garden, but 
when able to use their rakes, i. e., claws, they must be 
penned up. Last year we raised sixty chickens without 
the aid of one hen. A warm box was prepared with 
soft leaves and hay; it had a sliding door, and was 
placed inside a large slatted pen. Every night the chick- 
ens were put into the box and fastened up tight ; air- 
holes were bored through the upper part of the box, so 
they need not suffocate. Thus tended, no cat, or more 
odoriferous prowler, could approach them. The neigh- 
bors lost their chickens, but ours prospered daily. They 
were let out every day to run in the garden until they 
became nuisances, then they took a daily walk at 5 P. M. 
and returned to their quarters at 6 P. M., ready for their 
cosey bed. 

Now every boy and girl who reads this, can go and do 
likewise. The hens and rooster are the needed elements 



AMUSEMENTS FOR LITTLE BOYS. 23 

for the business ; then a few edgings from the saw-mill, 
and pounds of nails from the hardware merchant's, to 
commence operations. To be sure daily care is requisite. 
They cannot be fed one day and neglected the next. 
They must be looked after and cared for three tiines each 
day. An account-book is needed to keep the accounts. 
Set down each day the eggs you have collected, keep a 
regular statement of the expense of the food, also of the 
first outlay in the hen pen, and stock in trade. 

Mark the day when each hen is set, the chickens she 
hatches. By so doing, a child can learn a needed lesson 
in keeping accounts, in punctuality, order, and method — 
lessons which may be ** far above rubies" to him all his 
life through." S. O. J. 



24 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



§mtB fax f ittle Cljilktn. 



A Book of Amusements would be imperfect if it had 
not a portion set apart for the younger children of the 
family. We think all our youthful readers will agree 
with us, that their games should have the precedence, as 
the older children in a family are often at a loss how to 
amuse their younger brothers and sisters ; therefore we 
trust this section of our book may be useful to them, ^ 



1.— HAND SHADOWS. 

In the evening, when shadows can be cast on the wall, 
nothing pleases little children more than hand shadows. 
The shadow of a fox's head, made by simply clasping 
one hand over the other, has been so often illustrated we 
will only refer to it. If the second and third fingers, of 
the clasped hand, are kept moving towards each other, it 
will look as if the fox was eating. It is so difficult to 
give verbal directions for producing hand pictures, we 
will give two illustrations to our young readers. One a 
human head, the other a rabbit ; try and copy the position 



GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 



25 



of the hands given, and thus cast the shadows of these 
objects on the wall or paper of the room. 





An ingenious boy or girl can form other objects by 
frequent practice. 

We need scarcely say that the shadow artist must 
stand between the lamp and the wall. 



2. — PAPER SHADOWS ON THE WALL. 

These are made by getting a head or figure, either 
sketched or printed, and cutting out all the light portions 
of the face. These form nice pictures of light and shade 
held at the wall with the light behind them. Even the 
common cuttings of dogs, horses, cows, &c., cut by 
children of ten years old, cast very amusing shadows'. 
We have seen fretful children of two years old enter- 
tained for hours in this way. 
3 



26 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



3.— DANCE, THUMBKIN, DANCE. 

This is a game by which an older person can amuse a 
number of little children. It is played by holding up the 
hand, and bending thumb and fingers in the following 
manned : First, put the thumb in motion, singing in a 
lively tone, " Dance, thumbkin, dance ! " Then keep the 
thumb still, and move the four fingers, singing, " Dance 
ye merry men, every one, for thumbkin he can dance 
alone." Then move the fore finger and sing " Dance, 
fore man, dance ! " Then move all the fingers, singing, 
" Dance, ye merry men, for fore man he can dance alone." 
Then keep the second finger in motion, singing, " Dance, 
middle man, dance ! " Then move all the fingers, singing, 
" Dance, ye merry men, every one, for middle man he 
can dance alone." Then in the same manner repeat the 
process with the two other fingers, calling the third 
finger " ring man," and the fourth finger " little man," 
When these changes are done rapidly, it entertains even 
babies. 



'4. — FLOWER DOLLS. 

Little German children make dolls of flowers ; per- 
haps American children would like to do the same. 
There are many small, round seed pods on a stem, such 
as poppies ; take them before they are ripe, in the green 
state ; cut them off", with a piece of stem left on for the 
body. Take the leaf of the scarlet poppy, or the petu- 
nia, or any flower-leaf, and fasten it (or several of them) 



GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 



27 



with the fibre of a leaf, round them, thus making a 
handsome skirt. Then gather the calyx, or green cup of 




the carnation, or any flower, and make a cloak; push 
through the stem either a pin, wire, or stick, to form the 
arms. Your little flower-maiden will be formed. Fus- 
chias that fall off the stems are pretty to arrange as' 
dolls. Their dresses are all formed ; cut off the stamens 
so that the flower will stand on its leaves ; mark the top 
with eyes, nose, mouth, and even hair, with a pen, and 
pass a pin, wire, or stick, through for arms. These an- 
swer the place of paper dolls, and we know they will 
amuse little children. 



5. — CHAIN OF DANDELION STEMS. 

To make a green chain of links, you must gather a 
great many dandelions, and nip off their flowers. You 
will lind that the stem is hollow, and that one end of it 



28 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

is smaller than the other. Push the small end into the 
larger end of the stem or tube, and you will have a green 
ring any size you please to make it. Then put another 
stem through the r5ng, and join it by pushing the narrow- 
end into the wide one again. 



6. — PAT A CAKE. 

This is most truly a baby's pastime. A baby of six 
months can be taught all the motions of this nursery 
game. Clap the hands together, saying, " Pat a cake, 
pat a cake, baker's man ; that I will, master, as fast as I 
can ; " then rub the hands together, saying, " Roll it, 
roll it ; " then pick the palm of the left hand with the 
fore finger of the right, saying, " Prick it, and prick it ; " 
then throw up both hands, " Toss it in the oven and 
bake it." 

" Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker's man ! 

Bake me a cake as fast as you can ; 

Roll it and prick it, and mark it with T. ; 

Toss it in the oven for Thomas and me." 



7. — LITTLE PUSS WENT TO MARKET. 

This also is a common nursery game. Touch the 
thumb, saying, *' This little puss went to market ;*' touch 
the fore finger, saying, " This little puss staid at home ; '* 
then the middle finger, " This little puss had new milk ; " 
the fourth finger, " This little puss had none ; " the little 
finger, " This little puss cries, Miaow, miaow." 



GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 29 



8.— BUY MY GEESE. 

The little finger is doubled over the second finger, the 
middle finger over the fore finger, and twisted, resting 
them on the thumb. You then ask, " Will you buy my 
geese?" If they say "Yes," suddenly untwist your 
fingers,* and exclaim, " O, dear, they have all flown 
away ! " 



9.— CARD HOUSES. 

Take a pack of cards and first build a Virginia fence, 
either around the top of a table or around a space on the 
floor. This can be done by making cards stand in and 
out, resting on each other. If a boy is playing, and he 
has some little soldiers, he can form a camp within the 
circle by making tents, that is, by putting two cards 
together, touching at the top, and spreading at the bottom 
like a real tent. Then arrange his soldiers, either in 
order of drill, or standing in front of the tents, o^ as 
sentinels-. A little girl or boy can build, with these tents, 
what they can call houses, barns, summer-houses, or any 
thing they please, by placing cards standing around the 
tents, and rest other cards on them and the tent to form a 
roof. If the children have any dogs, horses, cows, men, 
and women, of wood or tin, they" can be arranged around 
to look like a farm. 



30 AMEKilCAN HOME BOOK. 



10.— THE FEATHER DANCE. 

Let the mother or an elder sister collect the little ones 
in a circle ; then take a feather or a ball of thistle-down, 
and toss it into the air, telling the children to keep it up 
without allowing it to fall. They must blow gently, or 
it will fly so high it will be difficult to reach ; neither 
must they send it outside the circle, or it will be difficult 
to get it back ; let each child blow in turn, and watch it 
carefully. The one who lets it fall must either have a 
feather placed in her hair, or some penalty must be 
exacted, appropriate to amuse even the youngest. A 
child of two years old can play this game. 



11.— MELON-SEED BIEDS. 

String watermelon seeds in the form of a diamond, 
thus : Take five threads and a large needle, tie the 
threads together at the end in a knot ; then pass them 
through a single seed, then thread two seeds, then three, 
then four, then five, then four again, then three, then 
two, then one. Tie the ends together, and leave them 
twisted three or four inches long. Stick a feather at one 
end for the tail ; a little stick or bit of wood for a beak. 
If you pull the string up and down, they look like two 
birds flying, and will amuse a baby. 



MUSICAL GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 31 



ITusial §mmB for f ittle Cljilkm. 



These games are always popular with little children, 
and we think they give grace and ease to their motions. 



1.^ a TWINE THE GARLAND, GIRLS AND 
BOYS." 

A LINE of girls and boys take hold of each other's 
hands ; while one stands perfectly still, the others dance 
round her, winding and stopping, winding and stopping, 
until they are formed into a knot ; while they are form- 
ing this knot, they sing, to the tune of Yankee Doodle, — 

" Twine the garland, girls and boys, 
Twine the garland, girls ; 
Twine the garland, girls and boys, 
Twine the garland, boys." 

Then they gradually untwist in the same manner, 
singing, — 

" Untwine the garland, girls and boys, 
Untwine," &c., — 

simply saying untwine in place of twine. 



32 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



2. — THE CRADLE OF LOVE. 

All the little boys and girls except two, take partners 
and stand opposite to each other, as in a contra-dance. 
The two who. are left out, join hands and attempt to dance 
between the couple at the foot ; the couple join hands and 
enclose them ; these prisoners are not allowed to escape 
till each has turned round and kissed the one behind her. 
In this way they dance through every couple in the set. 
This game is very pleasing when performed with ease 
and animation. 



^3. — MAGICAL MUSIC. 

This is a very popular game. The children sit around 
the room, while some older person plays the piano for 
them. They can decide who shall go out of the room 
first by some play-ground rhyme. The one whose lot it 
is, goes out of the room. During her absence some- 
thing is either hidden or altered in the room, or the 
players decide that the absent one shall do something, as 
kiss her sister, make a courtesy, dance, sing, &c. Then 
they call in the child who is outside the room. She may 
ask, " Is it something to find, something to alter, or 
something to do?" She is told which it is, and the 
music begins directly. When she is near finding, alter- 
ing, or doing the thing decreed, the music is loud and 
triumphant. When she moves away from the thing hid- 
den or altered, or does not guess what she has to do, the 
music is very soft and low. 



MUSICAL GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 33 

It is by listening to the music that the player is guided 
in performing the task imposed on her. 



4. — HUNT THE FOX. 

Take partners, and stand as in a contra-dance. The 
child at the head is the fox ; her partner the hunter. 
At a signal, she starts and runs or dances down the line, 
her partner following ; she can pass through the line as 
she pleases, the players standing far enough apart to 
allow her to pass easily. The hunter must follow the 
exact course of the fox ; if he varies, he must pay a for- 
feit. When the fox is caught, the first couple goes to 
the foot, and the next couple goes through with the same. 
It adds to this game to keep time to some merry tune, 
like Fisher's Hornpipe. This game is often played on 
Thanksgiving evening, by old and young. 



5. — THE SWISS PEASANT. 

The children of Switzerland have their round dance 
also, greatly resembling our Mulberry Bush. We give it 
here. The air is very pretty, and may be soon learned, 
if an elder sister or " mamma " will play it two or three 
times over on the piano. 

At the words, " So does the peasant sow his barley 
and wheat," the little players pretend to scatter seed. 

At "So dqes the peasant reap his barley and wheat," 
the children make the motion of reaping. 



34 



AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



At " Thrash his barley and wheat," they wave their 
arms for flails. 

At " Sifting the wheat," they pretend to shake a 
sieve. 

At " How he rests," the little players all throw them- 
selves on the turf, or carpet, if in a room. 

At " Would you know how he plays," they all dance 
and jump about. 



i 



■3;- 



E^r 



It- 



Would you know how does the pea - saut, Would you 



a^ 



-t:- 



^ 


—in 




0t . J 


-1- 





— 1 


f3- 


-H- 


— f^- 


-^ 


know how 

II ^ 


does 


the peasant, 

m 


Would yoi 


I know how ^oes the 

» -s- 


^^i^— 


—^- 


— ?- 


^ 


i«_ 






_^_ 


fi 


z. 


. 


^•S h 


— #— 
-4- 


=?= 


1-0- 


— ) — 


r . 






~t~ 


=F~ 





Ill 



=t= 



=t 



pea - sant Sow his bar - ley and wheat. 



H 



i 



Look ! 'tis so does the peasant 
Sow his barley and wheat. 



MUSICAL GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 35 



Would you know how does the peasant, 
Would you know how does the peasant, 
Would you know how does the peasant 
Reap his barley and wheat? 

Look ! 'tis so does the peasant 
Reap his barley and wheat. 



Would you know how does the peasant. 
Would you know how does the peasant. 
Would you know how does the peasant 
Thrash his barley and wheat? 

Look ! 'tis so does the peasant 
Thrash his barley and wheat. 



Would you know how does the peasant. 
Would you know how, does the peasant. 
Would you know how does the peasant 
Sift his barley and wheat ? 

Look ! 'tis so does the peasant 
Sift his barley and wheat. 



Would you know how rests the peasant. 
Would you know how rests the peasant, 
Would you know how rests the peasant 
When his labor is done ? 



36 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

Look ! 'tis so rests the peasant 
When his labor is done. 



"Would you know how plays the peasant, 
"Would you know how plays the peasant, 
Would you know how plays the peasant 
When his labor is done ? 

Look ! 'tis so plays the peasant 
When his -labor is done. 

Children can play this game without music if they 
prefer. 



6. — FINGERS AND THUMBS. 



fe=1- 



:1=1-- 



One finger, one thumb keep moving, 

n tt 1 1 1 1 


One finger, one thumb 


V ttJ.f 






A., jj J J J 




! J 1 1 


■#5K tf 1 ■ -• 4 S 




*" J J 








J 


O 





keep moving, One finger, one thumb keep moving. Gee 



— "O 

up. Gee I, Gee O, Two fingers, one thumb,keep moving, &c. 

Three [fingers, one thumb,] keep moving. Three, &c. 
Four [fingers, one thumb,] keep moving. Four, &c. 
Five [fingers, one thumb,] keep moving. Five, &c. 
Six [fingers, one thumb,] keep moving. Six, &c. 



MUSICAL GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 37 

Seven [fingers, one thumb,] keep moving. Seven, &c. 
Eight [fingers, one thumb,] keep moving. Eight, &c. 
Eight [fingers, two thumbs,] keep moving. Eight, &c. 
Eight [fingers, two thumbs, and one arm,] keep moving. 

Eight, &e. 
Eight [fingers, two thumbs, and two arms,] keep moving. 

Eight, &c. 
Eight [fingers, two thumbs, two arms, and one foot,] 

keep moving. Eight, &c. 
Eight [fingers, two thumbs, two arms, and two feet,] 

keep moving. Eight, &c. 
Eight [fingers, two thumbs, two arms, two feet, and your 

head,] keep moving. Eight. &c. 

The words in brackets must be sung on one note, as 
in chants, and each line must be repeated three times, as 
arranged under the above notes. The person selected to 
commence this game must arrange all the players in a 
circle, either seated or standing, as he directs. Each 
must follow the motions of the leader, and join him in 
singing. When the leader is ready to commence the 
game he must clap his hands. He then begins to move 
his fore finger and thumb, and sings the words as ar- 
ranged at the beginning of these directions. All the 
' motions he makes must correspond with the words he 
sings, and each player must imitate his motions, and con- 
tinue them through the game. All the fingers, thumbs, 
arms, feet, and heads in the room will soon be in mo- 
tion. The efiect of this game is quite laughable. The 
persons joining in this play can recite the words without 
singing, if they prefer. 



i 



38 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



7.^ UNCLE JOHN. 

All the children who joia this game must stand in a 
circle, holding each other's hands, and as they walk or 
dance around, they sing the following words : — 

" Uncle John is very sick. What shall we send him? 
A piece of pie, a piece of cake, a piece of apple dumpling. 
"What shall we send it in ? In a golden saucer. 
Who shall we send it by ? By the king's daughter. 
D-o-w-n, down." 

Then all must kneel down as quickly as possible, and 
rise up at once ; the one who is the last to kneel, must, 
when they all rise, whisper to some one a girl's or boy's 
name, and then all join in the circle, the one who knelt 
last facing outwards. Then they all repeat as follows, 
making use of the name whispered : — 

" J B , so they say, 

Goes a courting night and day ; 
Sword and pistol by his side, 

M L-* — shall be his bride. 

She has sparks, one, two, three, 
I can tell who they be, — 
Joel, Toel, half a day, 
Exel, Toel, turn away." 

All again commence to sing, " Uncle John is very 
sick," &c. ; this continues until each one faces outwards 
in turn, or they are weary of it. 



MUSICAL GAMES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 39 



8. — WINDING THE HORN. 

The players form themselves into a file, while some 
young lady plays a march on the piano. A leader is 
chosen. He commences marching ; all follow, keeping 
exact time to the music, gradually winding up into the 
form of a horn, until the leader or captain is so closely 
wound about he cannot proceed any farther. The music 
then suddenly changes to quickstep, and the captain 
quickly turns about, those behind taking care to follow 
exactly in his steps, and unwind the horn, marching 
quickly as before. 



9.— MUSICAL FRIGHT. 

This is an admirable game for in-doors, as it affords 
exercise and laughter for all ages. A young lady is 
requested to take her place at the piano ; some chairs are 
placed down the centre of the room, b'dX!k to back, just 
qfie less in number than the players. Suppose there are 
twelve children to play, you place eleven chairs, ten back 
to back, one extra. Then the twelve children dance 
hand in hand round the chairs in time to the music. 
Suddenly, sometimes in the middle of a bar, always just 
when least expected, the player lifts her hands off the 
piano. Everybody must then attempt to get a seat, and 
as there are only eleven, one will, of course, be left out. 
She or he is then out of the game, and must sit down 
and watch it. Then a chair is taken away, ten being 
left. 



40 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

The dancers resume their dance as soon as the music 
begins ; the moment it stops they try to get a chair, and 
one is, of course, again left out ; then another chair is 
taken away, and the dance resumed. The game goes 
on, losing a dancer and a chair each time, till two dancers 
and one chair only are left. 

Then the two dance wildly round the chair, and when 
the music suddenly stops, one sits down, and the other is 
" out " like the rest. 

Sometimes, at a little party, to make the game more 
exciting, the mamma gives a box of candy to the one 
who last gets a chair, sufficient for her to distribute to 
her companions. 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 41 



§mi^ for Cljilken from Jfih to %Mk. 



1. — SOAP BUBBLES. 

This is a favorite amusement for children. A basin 
or bowl full of foaming soap-suds, very thick, and 
a short pipe, or even a good sized straw, are all you 
require. If you use a straw or quill, split the end into 
four, as deep as your nail is long, and soak it in water 
before you use it. If you cannot make your bubble as 
large as you wish, do not dip it again into the suds by 
way of improving it, for the moment it touches them it 
will burst. When the bubble is formed, shake your pipe 
or straw, and it will float, a glorious ball of light, with 
rainbow colors, on the air ; if it is not inclined to rise, 
blow it gently. 



2. — TAKE CAEE. 

A FLOWER-POT is filled with sand or earth ; a little 
stick with a flag is placed in it. Every child playing has 
to remove a little sand from the pot with a stick, with- 
out upsetting the flag, crying at the same time, " Take 
4 



42 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

care." The one who upsets the flag pays a forfeit. It 
becomes an anxious matter when the sand has been 
removed several times. 



3. — PUSS, PUSS IN THE CORNER. 

This is a very simple game, but lively and amusing. 
In each corner of the room or by four trees, which form 
nearly a square, a little girl is stationed ; another one 
stands in the centre who is called th^ Puss. At the 
words, " Puss, puss in the corner ! " they all start and 
run to change corners ; and at the same time the one in 
the middle runs to take possession of the corner before 
the others can reach it. If she succeeds in reaching a 
corner first, the one who is left out must take her place. 
If a child remains the centre puss three or four times, 
they sometimes agree she shall pay a forfeit. 



4. — THREADING MY GRANDMOTHER'S 
NEEDLE. 

This game has been played by little children for more 
than a hundred years. 

The players take hands in a long line. The children 
on the right hand sing or chant, — 

" Grandmother's eyes are grown so dim, 
Her needle she can't fill." 

The two at the extreme end of the line chant in rej^ly ; 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 43 

"Our eyes are very bright and good, 
Thread it for her we will." 

Then the first singers raise their arms very high, and 
the last singers dart under them, the whole line twisting 
through till the first players are at the bottom of the line. 

Those who were originally at the end of it then raise 
their arms, and recommence the rhyme, and the players 
who began the song thread the needle in their turn. 



5.— MOTHER GOOSE. 

This is a new and amusing game for little children. 
One among their number must be chosen to take the part 
of " Mother Goose," and she must arrange her forces in 
a line, and place a cricket in the centre of the room. 
She then leads off, clapping her hands and dancing slowly, 
saying, " Hi, diddle, diddle, the cat's in the fiddle." All 
must follow her, saying and acting exactly as she does, 
on penalty of a forfeit. She then imitates the mewing 
of a cat, and all imitate her. She then repeats, " The 
cow jumped over the moon," and *' Mother Goose " runs 
and jumps over the cricket, all the others following her. 
Again they pass round the room, singing, " The little dog 
laughed to see the sport." Suddenly she stops and 
laughs heartily, each one imitating her, and away they 
go again, singing, " The dish ran away with the spoon." 
" Mother Goose" then claps her hands as a signal for all 
to run, and off they start, she after them ; if she suc- 
ceeds in catching one, she cries out, " Here is Mother 
Goose ! " and all assemble round her, and the play com- 



44 AMEKICAN HOME BOOK. 

mences again. If played in the open air, it is well to 
have some post or tree as a goal, and if "Mother 
Goose " does not catch some one before it is reached, she 
has to act her part again. 



6. — uYOU ARE NOTHING BUT A GOOSE." 

This play cofisists in telling a story for the amusement 
of little children, and at the same time drawing figures 
on a slate or paper in illustration of it. For instance : 
" An old man and his wife lived in a little cabin. I will 
draw it with my pencil, so that you may know it. There 
it is (here make a picture of the cabin). This cabin 
had a window, which I will make thus (here put in the 
window). Near the window was a projecting door, like 
this (here put in the door). On the side opposite the 
door was a road, bordered on one side by a hedge (draw 
the road and hedge). This road terminated in a large 
pond (mark out the pond), and herbs grew round it 
(mark them). One night some robbers came to the far- 
ther end of- the pond (make some marks for robbers). 
The old woman heard them, and told her husband to get 
up and see what was the matter. The old people walked 
down to the side of the pond (make marks for the old 
people on the side of the pond). Each of them held out 
a hand to caution the other to keep silence (mark the 
hands). But they did not hear anything, for the robbers 
had taken fright and had run away. After standing out 
in the cold for a long time, the old man said to his wife, 
' Go along back to the house ; you ar§ nothing but a 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 45 

goose.' " At this point you hold up your paper, and it 
will be seen that you have made a picture of a goose. 
The subjoined cut illustrates the progress of the picture. 



O ©=<D 



=^^ -^^^^^^^—-^ 




While telling the story, you must be careful that the 
lookers-on see the growing picture sideways, or upside 
down ; otherwise they may suspect your design before 
the picture is complete. Other simple stories can be 
illustrated in like manner. 



7.— THE MOUSE TRAP. 

A MOTHER or elder sister should be seated in this game 
on some low ottoman, and gather the little ones close 
around her. They first choose by lot who shall com- 
mence the game, and who shall be the cat. The one 
first chosen places her hand upon the knee of the person 
seated ; the next places her hand on top of the first 
hand ; the next does the same, and so on till the last one, 
who is the cat, places her hand on top. Then the per- 
son seated cries out, " Catch a mouse ! " The cat must 
catch one of the. hands beneath her, if she can, exclaim- 



46 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

ing, " I have caught a mouse ! " But as all the players 
know that the cat has a right to catch them when the 
lady calls, they try hard to withdraw their hands too 
quick for her. Whoever is made a prisoner must be the 
cat, and the cat takes the place of the one caught. If the 
cat fails to catch one she must pay a forfeit ; and com- 
mence the game again, and the hand which came next to 
the cat's on top, must become a cat. 



8. — CHAIN OF IVY OR OAK LEAVES. 

These chains are very lovely, and form pretty orna- 
ments. But they are so easily made, even children of 
four years old could make them. This is the way to do 
them. Gather your leaves with long stems. Put the 
stem of one leaf through the top of the other, and pass 




it back underneath through its own leaf, as in the sketch. 
This play will doubly please the little ones, as it will be a 
rare pleasure for them to feel their little hands can make 
anything worthy to ornament their homes or school. 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 47 



9.— RUSH OR GRASS WREATH WITH 
FLOWERS. 

Plait four rushes or long grass together, keeping jour 
plait very much apart. Then twine flowers in and out 
of the little open spaces, either wild flowers or culti- 
vated. Tie the ends together, covering the knot with a 
pretty flower or leaf. Thus a lovely wreath a child 
can make to adorn her head or her sisters'. Some 
flowers can be strung in chains like beads. Phlox of all 
kinds, also field daisies. 



10. — HUNT THE RING. 

All but one stand in a circle. A ring is slipped on a 
cord, the ends of which are tied together. Each child 
must then hold her hands tightly over the cord, and 
pass the ring around. One child stands in the centre, 
and blinds her eyes until the ring has commenced passing 
along, and all say " Ready.'* The child in the centre 
then tries to find the ring. The one under whose hand 
she finds the ring, must take her place in the centre of 
the circle. 



11. — HERE I BAKE, HERE I BREW. 

The players form a circle by joining hands, and shut 
one of their number into the middle of it. The captive 
touches one pair of joined hands, and says, " Here I 



48 AMEKICAN HOME BOOK. 

bake ; " then passing on to two others (generally on the 
opposite side, of the circle), she says, " Here I brew." 
Then she touches two others, saying, " Here I make my 
wedding-cake." Then suddenly she springs on two of 
the clasped hands which appear least to expect her, and 
breaks through the circle if she can. But her effort is 
strongly resisted by the players, who keep her prisoner 
as long as they can. If she tries three times in vain to 
escape from the circle, she pays a forfeit. If she breaks 
through it, the pair whose hands were not strong enough 
to hold her pay a forfeit each, and another player be- 
comes captive. If this game is played out of doors, or 
in a large hall, when the captive breaks through she runs 
around the lawn or hall, until one of the players can 
catch her. Then the circle forms again, and the one 
who caught the captive becomes captive. This game 
continues in the same way until a change is desired. 



12. — CHASING THE DEER. 

All the players, except one, take hands and form a 
circle. The one left alone goes round with a handker- 
chief in her hand, and sings, — 

" My heart's in the Highlands, 
My heart is not here ; 
My heart's in the Highlands, 
Chasing the deer." 

Then she suddenly throws the handkerchief at one of 
the circle, and darts away. 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 49 

The one at whose feet it falls pursues her, and a 
grand chase takes place. 

When she has caught the deer, the pursuer becomes, 
in her turn, the animal to be hunted. 

The deer should try to drop the handkerchief as slyly 
as she can, and at the feet of the least watchful of the 
circle, that she may get a good start. 



13. —HOLD FAST, AND LET GO. 

This game resembles " Fly away, sparrow." Four 
little girls or boys each hold the corner of a handker- 
chief, or anything square. One standing by cries out, 
" Hold fast," They must then promptly drop the corners 
they are holding. When she says, *' Let go," they must 
be sure and keep hold. Those who fail to do so must 
pay a forfeit. 

14. — I SPY. 

All the children who join this game, except one, hide ; 
the player who is left out is blinded until he hears them 
call " Whoop ! " The one blinded then removes the 
bandage from his eyes, and begins to search for the hid- 
den players. If a glimpse is caught of any one, he calls 
out, " I spy Mabel, " or " I spy James." The one Avho 
is thus discovered must start and run for the place where 
the other was blinded. If' the goal is not reached until 
the pursuer has touched her, she must take his place. 
This game is best played out of doors. 



50 AMERICAN HOME BOOK, 



15. — FLY AWAY, SPARROW. 

All who join this game must gather around a table, 
and each player must place a finger on the table. When 
the leader of the game says, " Fly away, sparrow," or any 
other creature that flies, each player must raise the fin- 
ger placed on the table. If anything that does not fly is 
mentioned, and any player raises his or her finger, a for- 
feit must be given ; also if he fails to raise it after the 
name of a bird or insect that flies. 



16.— PUSH PIN. 

This is a very ancient game, and used to be played by 
men and women, but it is better for children. Two pins 
are laid upon a box, or on the crown top of a hat ; each 
one shakes the box or hat in turn, to make the pins cross 
each other. The player who succeeds in crossing the 
pins, is allowed to keep one of the pins. Those who do 
not succeed, must give a pin. 



17. — MY CANARY BIRD. 

All the company form a circle, the one who knows 
the game conducts it. The conductor of the game 
begins thus : Giving his n(|jghbor a book, or something 
else, he says to him, " j[ sell you my canary bird." 
Every player in rotation repeats this same phrase to his 
neighbor. The conductor then says, for the second turn, 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 51 

" I sell you the cage of my canary bird." Third, " I 
sell you the seed-cup of the cage of my canary bird." 
Fourth, "I sell you the door and the seed-cup of the 
cage of my canary bird." Fifth, " I sell you the latch 
of the door and the seed-cup of the cage," &c. Sixth, 
" I sell you the cat that broke the latch of the door," &c. 
. Seventh, " I sell you the dog that killed the cat that 
broke the latch," &c. Eighth, " I sell you the chaiu 
that fastened the dog that killed the cat that," &c. This 
game resembles the House that Ja«k Built. Each time 
the player fails to repeat the words in their- exact order, 
he or she must pay a forfeit. 



18. — THE BOUQUET. 

Each player selects three flowers, and names them in 
turn to the leader of the game. He writes the names of 
the three flowers, and adds, without communicating his 
addition, those of three persons of the company ; he then 
asks the player what he intends doing with the flowers he 
has chosen. The player mentions what shall be done 
with them, and the conductor of the game applies it to 
the three persons he has written down. 

Example. First, the leader speaks : — 

Leader. Miss Grace, choose your three flowers. 

Grace. The Sun Flower, Rose Geranium, and Mign- 
onnette. 

Leader, I have written your answers down. Now 
what will you do with the Sun Flower ? 

Grace, I will hang it up to dry. 

Leader, And the Rose Geranium? 



52 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

Grace. Keep it carefully in my room. 

Leader. And the Mignonnette? 

Grace. I will keep it always near me. 

Leader. Very well ; you have east behind you Mas- 
ter George, kept carefully in your room Miss Amy, and 
have always near you Master Sanford. 

The leader then addresses Master Sanford, asking him 
to select three flowers, &c., in the same manner as above. 
The game continues until all the players have gone 
through the same form of questions and answers. 



19. — PRESTO! CHANGE. 

All the players but one must be seated in chairs 
arranged round the room. The one who is not seated, 
stands in tho centre of the room. She then walks slowly 
round the room, until suddenly she calls out, " Presto ! 
change." All the players must then exchange places. 
If in making the exchange of seats, the leader of the 
game can take an unoccupied seat, she does so, and the 
one who is left out pays a forfeit and takes her place. 



20. — THE OLD GAME OF HONEY-POTS. 

One of the players must be selected to act the part of 
a honey merchant, another to come as a purchaser to the 
honey stores. These two should be the tallest and 
strongest of the party. Indeed the game can only be 
well played when two elder brothers, or an elder brother 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 53 

and sister, or " papa and mamma," can be induced to act 
honey merchant and purchaser. The rest of the party 
(which should consist of little children) represents pots 
of honey. They must clasp their hands under their 
raised knees, sitting in a row on the grass. Then the 
game proceeds thus : — 

The purchaser approaches the merchant, and asks, 
" Have you any good honey for sale, friend?" 

Money Merchant. Yes, ma'am (or sir), first-rate. 
This pot is from the mountains ; the finest honey in the 
world ; tastes of sweet clover, I assure you. This one 
is froin California ; quite as good as the mountain honey. 
Taste and try before you buy. 

The purchaser then goes around, and pretends to taste 
the honey-pots. 

Purchaser. (Shaking his head.) Not very good. 
I think the mountain honey rather too strong. Ah, I like 
this California jar. How much will you sell it for? 

Honey Merchant. A shilling a pound. 

Purchaser. What does the jar weigh? 

Honey Merchant. We will see, sir, if you will be good 
enough to help me. 

They then take hold of the arms of the California jar 
(who must hold her hands very tightly clasped under her 
knees), and swing her backwards and forwards, until she 
is obliged to let her hands drop apart and her feet touch 
the ground. She is then said to weigh as many pounds 
as she has been times swung backwards and forwards. 

Purchaser may object to the weight, and choose 
another pot ; and thus the game goes on, till each jar has 
had a swing, and taken part in the sport. 



54 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



21. — COPENHAGEN. 

Take a long rope or string, and fasten the two ends. 
All but one stand in a circle, each player holding the 
cord with both hands. The one in the centre must try 
to snap one of the hands of the players. One hand must 
always be kept on the string, but by changing hands rap- 
idly a player can avoid being touched. 

If the one in the centre snaps any hand, the person 
caught must take his or her place. 



22. — THE PILLOW GAME. 

This game is very popular with little boys and. girls. 
A boy takes a pillow, and throws it at the feet of the 
girl he likes best, and kneels upon it; she must also 
kneel upon the pillow and kiss the boy. She then takes 
the pillow and throws it at the feet of one of the boys, 
and kneels on the pillow ; he then kneels down and kisses 
the girl, and takes his turn with the pillow. This game 
continues till all are weary and desire a change. 



23.— "CLAP OUT AND CLAP IN." 

All the girls in the party arrange themselves behind 
chairs, sofas, ottomans, &c., all the boys being sent out 
of the room ; one girl stands as door-keeper. Some girl 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 55 

then calls out the name of a boy whom she wishes to 
take the seat in front of her ; the doorkeeper opens the 
door and calls out the name. The boy called enters, and 
the door is shut. He looks all around, wondering who 
has chosen him, and fioally takes a seat. If he happens 
to sit down in front of the girl who called his name, she 
kisses him, and he keeps his seat ; but if not, as is most 
likely to be the case, they all clap him out, and away he 
goes. Another is then chosen, and the same thing is gone 
through ; sometimes a favorite boy will be called in a 
number of times before he guesses correctly. When all 
the girls have taken their turn in calling, they leave the 
room, and the boys take their stand behind the seats and 
the girls are called in. 

We were present at a children's party where this 
game was played. AVhen it became the boys' turn to 
call, one little fellow cried out, " Say, boys, lets we kiss 
the girls, right or not ; then, if they are wrong, we can 
clap them out afterwards, and not lose our chance." 
We were ainused to see how eagerly the prettiest girls 
were urged by all to take their seats : if she was a mod- 
est child, she would be perfectly bewildered. Some 
pretended to be angry at the stolen kiss, but we noticed 
that if called again, only one timid little girl refused the 
call. 



24.— BUZZ. 

Promptness is very necessary in this game. Any 
number of children excepting seven, both girls and boys, 
seat themselves round a table, or in a circle. One begins 



56 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

the game by saying, " One ! " the child on the left says 
" Two ! " and so on till they come to seven, which number 
must not be mentioned, but in place thereof, the word 
" Buzz ! " Whenever a number occurs in which the 
figure seven is used, or any number into which seven 
may be multiplied, " Buzz " must be used instead of that 
number. Such are the numbers 7, 14, 17, 21, 27, 28, 
35, 37, 42, &c. Any one mentioning a number with 
seven in it instead of " Buzz," or calling out of turn, 
or naming a wrong number, must pay a forfeit. After 
she has paid her forfeit, she calls out " One ! " and so it 
goes round again to the left. When, by a little practice, 
the circle gets as high as seventy-one, then " Buzz-one, 
Buzz-two," &c., must be used, and for seventy-seven, 
" Buzz-buzz," and so on. If the perspn whose turn it is 
to speak delays longer than while any one of the circle 
can moderately count five, she must pay a forfeit. 



25.— TWIRL THE TRENCHER. 

The players must sit in a large circle, with a wooden 
trencher (or a small tin waiter will do) to twirl. 

Each player assumes a name or number, — numbers 
are best to call, — such as No. 1, No. 2, &c. The first 
player advances to the middle of the circle, and sets the 
trencher twirling on the floor. Then she darts back to 
her seat, calling out No. 3 (or any number she pleases). 
No. 3 rushes forward, and prevents the trencher (which 
is flagging of course) from stopping ; then sho returns to 
her seat, calling No. 5 t0,;^he trencher rescue. 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 57 

Any player who, when called, suffers the trencher to 
fall, must pay a forfeit. If the wrong side of the trencher 
falls upwards, she must pay two. 



26. — THE OLD SOLDIER. 

The players are seated in a circle ; one walks round 
holding a pen, pencil, or anything he pleases to use, rep- 
resenting an old soldier. 

He holds it up, and says, *' What will you give this 
poor old soldier ? " 

The person asked must not use the words white, black, 
yes, or no, in her answer. If she does she must pay a 
forfeit. We will -give an example : 

Frank holds up his " old soldier," and asks Susie, 
" What will you give this old soldier? " 

Susie replies, " A watch." 

Frank. Please don't give that ; my soldier needs a 
coat. 

Susan. I could not give him that. (She avoids 
" no.") 

Frank. What will you give him then ; a hat ? 

Susan. I think I will. 

As only three questions can be asked each player, 
Frank passes on to Louisa, having failed to make Susan 
pay a forfeit. 

Frank. Louisa, what will you give my soldier? 

Louisa. -A pair of mittens. 

Frank. What color shall they be ? 

Louisa. Gray. 
5 



58 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

Frank. Gray mittens! O, do give liim black 
ones. 

Louisa. No, I cannot. 

Frank. A forfeit, Louisa, please ; you said " no." 

Tlius the game goes round the circle. 



27. — THE QUEEN AND HER ATTENDANTS. 

The players must first choose a queen. The queen 
must then arrange her retinue. There must be an equal 
number of boys and girls ; or if either boys or girls out- 
number each other, if they desire to join the game, they 
can take the part of girl or boy. If a girl acts a boy's 
part, she must wear a hat ; if a boy acts a girl's part, tie 
a handkerchief arOund his arm. Then chairs must be 
arranged in two lines, according to the number of play- 
ers, leaving a space in the centre. The queen must then 
arrange the girls on one side, and the boys on the other, 
numbering them at the same time, and each must remem- 
ber his or her number. The queen will then place a 
chair at the head of the row, where she seats herself. 
The queen will then request her attendants to be ready to 
start as she calls them. She must then call out some 
number of the girls, and at once a number of the boys,* 
saying, for instance, *' It is time for four to start. Ten, 
bring her to me." When she says four, four must start 
and run down the centre line, then round the whole, and 
back up the centre line to the qneen. Number ten, 
when called, must run at once, following four, and try to 
catch her. If he succeeds he must bring her in triumph 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN EROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 59 

to the queen, who will demand a forfeit, and order her to 
stand behind her chair. If four reaches the queen be- 
fore ten reaches her, she can return to her seat, and ten 
must pay a forfeit, and stand behind the chair. When 
allj or nearly all are caught, the queen must rise and call 
upon all to follow her round the chairs. When she 
claps her hands all must strive for a seat. (The queen's 
chair must not then be used.) The one left out must be 
either queen or king, according to the child left out. If 
a boy, he is crowned king, and takes his seat where the 
queen sat, and he must first call the number of a boy, 
and then a girl's number, and she must run after the boy. 
Whoever becomes queen or king, must judge the last for- 
feits before commencing the game again ; the former 
queen holding the forfeits to be judged. This game is 
more amusing to have sdme one play a lively tune, and 
dance the game with a swift gallopade. 



28. — THE BEWILDERED KNIGHT. 

One of the party who has never played the game is 
selected to receive the honor of knighthood. He is led 
out of the room and blindfolded. While he is absent a 
whistle is produced and quickly fastened to a long string, 
at the end of which is a crooked pin or fish-hook (this 
should be previously prepared). The knight elect is then 
summoned, led into the room, and kneels at the feet of 
the person previously chosen to be queen of the game. 
The other players should be standing around the queen. 
The queen then exclaims, *' If I dub you knight, will 



60 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

you promise to do the first thing I shall command you ? " 
The knight replies that he will. While the queen talks 
to him (and she may say as much as she pleases, to give 
time to the others), the whistle is hooked gently on to 
the dress, or coat of the knight, taking care that he does 
not feel what is done to him. 

When the queen sees that the whistle is securely fas- 
tened, she strikes him thrice with her fan (in place of a 
sword), saying, " Rise up. Sir Knight! but first let me 
remove the bandage that blindfolds you." 

When this is done, she adds, " My order is, that you 
find that whistle.''* 

At these words one of the players blows the whistle. 
The knight turns at the sound, and the next instant 
another player behind him again blows it. 

Bewildered, he looks again behind him, and once more 
the whistle blows. The fun of the game consists in the 
rapidity with which the whistle is blown, and the bewil- 
derment of the knight, till it is found out. 



29. — ALPHABETICAL COMPLIMENTS. 

The children sit in a circle. One begins, " I love my 
love with an a, because she is amiable; I admire her 
because she is artless ; I gave her a bouquet of Azaleas.'" 

The second says, "I love my love with a 6, because she 
is benevolent ; I admire her because she is beautiful; I 
gave her a bouquet of Bluebells.^* 

Each little girl in turn " loves her love " thus alpha- 
betically, always loving and admiring her in words 
which begin with the letter falling to her lot. 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 61 



30. — LADY FAIR. 

A JUDGE and a lady fair are selected from the players. 
The lady fair sits at one end of the circle, on a raised 
seat or throne ; the judge at the other end opposite her, 
on a raised seat. 

When all are ready, each player makes a bow to the 
lady, and the judge says, — 

" The lady fair sits on her throne ; each has his 
opinions, tell me your own." 

Then the players go up, one by one, to the judge, and 
whisper something in praise or dispraise of the lady, 
taking care to remember what they have said. When 
the opinions have all been given, the judge repeats them 
aloud, and the lady fair has to guess whose opinions he 
utters. If she guesses wrong she pays a forfeit. For 
example : Ellen is chosen as lady fair, Howard as 
judge. 

The others whisper to the judge their opinions of lady 
fair, which he writes down on a slate. 

When all have whispered, the judge reads any opinion 
he chooses, but not in rotation. 

Somebody says, '' Lady fair is as good as she is fair." 
Who is it ? 

Ellen. Louisa, I think. 

Judge Howard. No, it was Susan. Pay a for- 
feit. Somebody said that " Lady fair was as tall and 
prim as a poplar tree." 

Ellen. I know that was Frank. * 

Judge Howard. No, it was Sara. A forfeit, please. 



62 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

Somebody said "Lady fair was as bright as a gold 
dollar." 

Ellen. That was Sara. 

Judge Howard. Quite right. Now Sara is lady 
fair, and you may return her compliment ; but before 
you begin again you must give your forfeits. 



31.— THE WIZARD OF THE EAST. 

The principal performer attires himself in a robe, a 
paper cap, spectacles, and other appointments necessary 
to the outfit of the "Wizard of the East." He is 
armed with a magic wand, by means of which he is sup- 
posed to exercise his mysterious calling, and with which 
he makes a circle on the ground, muttering at the same 
time the unearthly words of some potent spell. After 
communing profoundly for some moments with some 
imaginary familiar, he appears to have decided, and 
touches one of his confederates with his wand, ordering 
him to go to the other end of the room, and there blind- 
fold his eyes. This order executed, and the audience 
satisfied that the confederate is really blindfolded, the 
wizard orders him to guess the person on whom his wand 
shall rest. The wizard then proceeds to touch several 
persons lightly with the wand, saying at each, " The 
wand moves," and at length allows it to rest on the 
shoulder of the one loho spoke last (the key to the trick), 
exclaiming, *' The wand rests ! " The confederate will at 
once name the person touched (who also being a confed- 
erate, has purposely spoken last). The latter takes the 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 63 

place of the person blindfolded, and the wizard goes 
through with the same form ; his confederate exciting 
them to talk, he again touches the one who spoke last ; 
the confederate names him correctly, and the person 
touched is blindfolded in turn. Unless he understands 
the game, he will have only chance to guide him, and 
will rarely guess correctly. Those who fail, pay a forfeit. 
Sometimes one of the confederates takes the place of the 
wizard, and further mystifies the company. This game, 
though simple, often puzzles a room full. 



32.— TO BRING A PERSON DOWN UPON A 
FEATHER. 

This is a practical pun. You desire any one to stand 
on a chair or table, and you tell him that notwithstand- 
ing his weight you will bring him down upon a feather. 
You then leave the room, and procuring a feather, you 
give it to him, and tell him you have performed your 
promise ; that you engaged to bring him down upon a 
feather, which you have done, for there is the feather, 
and if he looks he'll find down upon it. 



33.— HE CAN DO LITTLE WHO CAN'T DO 
THIS. 

Arrange yourselves in a circle. The one who knows 
the game takes a cane in his left hand and pounds upon 
the floor with it, saying, " He can do little who can't do 



64 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

this," and passes the cane with his right hand to his 
right-hand neighbor, who tries to do the same thing, but 
generally fails. The catch consists in quickly changing 
the cane from the left to the right hand before you pass 
it. Every one is then intent on your manner of pound- 
ing the cane on the floor. Change hands as carelessly as 
possible. 



34. -r HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? WHEN DO 
YOU LIKE IT? AND WHERE WILL YOU 
PUT IT? 

The difficulty of this game consists in guessing the 
meaning of two or more nouns, which sound alike, but 
have different meanings, without any other help than the 
answers given to the above questions. It is played in 
the following manner : One of the company is sent out 
of the room, and not recalled until her companions have 
agreed upon two words of similar sound with which to 
puzzle her. When she comes in, she asks, " How do 
you like it?" One answers, " Very much indeed; " or 
" I don't like it early in the morning ; " another says, 
*' It is too noisy ; " another, *' It is too fond of fine 
clothes," &c. She then asks, "When do you like it?" 
One answers,' " At all times ; " another, " When I feel 
hungry for my dinner ; " another, " I want it when walk- 
ing alone ; " another, " When I want some wood brought 
for my fire," &c. Lastly she asks, "Where would you 
put it?" One says, " I would hang it ; " another, "I 
would shut it up in a church tower ; " another, " I would 
take it to a ball-room," &c. 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO T\YELVE. G5 

From such answers, a witty little girl may guess that 
belle was the chosen word (belle, a fashionable lady, and ' 
bell, an instrument of sound). Such as do not guess 
must pay a forfeit. Many words might be chosen for 
this game, such as hair, hare ; reign, rain ; date, a fruit, 
and date, a period of time ; whip to strike with, and 
whip to eat 5 pear, pair ; heir, air ; ale, ail ; mason, a 
bricklayer, and mason, a member of a secret society ; 
beer, bier ; see, sea. 



35. — THE APPARENT IMPOSSIBILITY. - 

You profess yourself able to show any one what he 
never saw before, what you never saw, and what no one 
ever saw, and which, after you two have seen, no one 
else ever shall see. After requesting the company to 
guess this riddle, and they have professed themselves un- 
able to do so, produce a nut, and having cracked it, take 
out the kernel, and ask them if they have ever seen it 
before ; of course they answer no : you reply, " Neither 
have I, and I think you will confess that nobody else has 
ever seen it, and now no one shall see it again ; " saying 
which, you put the kernel into your mouth and eat it. 



36.— THE TURNED HEAD. 

Let a lady be invested with as many wrappings as 
possible, but cloak, shawl, scarf, &c., must be put on 
wrong side before, so as to present the appearance of a 
" turned head." She should be furnished with a muff, 



66 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

which she must hold behind her, as nearly as possible in 
the usual manner, but her bonnet must be put on the 
proper way. Thus equipped, she must enter the room 
backwards, and pass around it in that manner. This 
can be used as a forfeit. 



37. — THE BIRD-CATCHER. 

All who join this game must be seated in a circle, 
first choosing a bird-catcher, who takes his or her , place 
in the centre. He can give the name of a bird to each 
person, or each can select one, but each one must repre- 
sent some bird, and one of the number must personate 
an owl. The bird-catcher then tells a story, introducing 
the names of different birds. Every bird, when men- 
tioned, must immediately make a chirrup, crow, screech, 
or splutter, peculiar to its species. The slightest delay 
or mistake is punished by a forfeit. Each player, until 
the owl is mentioned, must rest his hands on his knees ; 
but when the owl is called, each player must instantly 
clasp his hands behind him. The bird-catcher tries to 
seize the hand of one of the players before he raises it 
from his knee ; if he succeeds, the person so caught must 
pay a forfeit, or take the bird-catcher's place, his name 
and place in the aviary being taken by the late officer. 
If he fails to entrap any one, he must pay a forfeit, and 
continue the story until he does, or has paid a certain 
number of forfeits ; another then takes his place, either 
by lot or choice. The company must keep their hands 
behind them until some other bird is mentioned, when 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 67 

they must return them promptly. It is well to mention 
the owl twice in succession, but no one must change the 
second time ; the owl must make his peculiar cry when- 
ever he is mentioned. The following is a list of availa- 
ble birds, with sounds peculiar to them, taken from un- 
doubted authorities : — 

The Cock, — " Cock a doodle-doo." 

The Hen, — " Cut, cut, cut, ca-da-cut." 

The Chicken. — " Peep, peep, peep." 

The Turkey. — " Gobble, obble-obble.** 

The Duck\ — " Quack, quack, quack." 

The Canary. — " Pretty Dick." 

The Magpie. — " Jack wants his dinner." 

The Sparrow. — " Chip, chip." 

The Whippoorwill. — " Whip-po-will." 

The Parrot. — " Pretty Poll ; Poll wants a cracker." 

The Curlew. — " Pe-wit, pe-wit." 

The Crow. — " Caw, caw, caw." 

The Goose. — " Hiss-s-s." 

The Raven. — " Cro-a-ak." 

The Snowbird. — " Chick-a-dee-dee. 

The Owl, — " To-whit, to-whit, to-whoo." 

These sounds, of course, can be varied to suit the idea 
of the performer. Parrot and magpie can be made to 
speak as they wish. The raven may be made to say, 
*' Never more," according to Poe's poem. But the 
sounds agreed upon at the beginning must not be changed 
during the game. Some amusement can be gained by 
giving appropriate names to different persons. The owl 
could be given to the most learned in the company. The 
best singer, the nightingale, could be represented by a 



68 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

few bars of Jenny Lind's melodies. The magpie could 
be given to a great talker. When all are ready, the 
bird-catcher might commence in the following manner : — 
I went out the other morning with my guns and nets to 
catch a few birds. I did not intend robbing a farmyard, 
but on the top of a railing I saw a fine cock (" Cock a 
doodle-doo ") ; there was nobody looking, and I couldn't 
resist it — when up came an enormous turkey (" Gobble, 
obble-obble"). O ! O ! said I, a turkey (" Gobble, ob- 
ble-obble ") ; well, a turkey (" Gobble, obble-obble") is 
worth more than a little sparrow (" Chip, chip"), and 
there is more to eat on it than on a curlew ("Pe-wit, pe- 
wit"), and as I had made up my mind to steal a cock 
("Cock a doodle-doo"), why not a goose (" Hiss-s-s"), 
or a turkey (" Gobble, obble-obble"). I crept up to 
him, when all of a sudden a rascally magpie ("Jack 
wants his dinner ") flew out of a bush, making such an 
abominable noise, that all the birds in the air (general 
cry without moving the hands) took flight at once. Off 
went the turkey (" Gobble, obble-obble ") on one side, 
and the cock (" Cock a doodle-doo ") on the other, scat- 
tering a flock of ducks ("Quack, quack"). There 
was not a single Jbird in sight but the owl (" To- whit, 
to-whit, to-whoo"). All hands up. [A forfeit given 
either by the unlucky bird-catcher, who has not suc- 
ceeded in catching a hand, or by a bird, whose hand he 
has caught ; in either case, he who remains, or becomes 
bird-catcher, continues.] As I was saying, the owl 
[dead silence except the sound of the owl, all hands still 
behind] began making an extraordinary noise, no doubt 
thinking himself the nightingale [the nightingale sings a 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN FROM FIVE TO TWELVE. 69 

bar from tlie " Daughter of the Regiment ; " all hands 
down on the knees immediately. Forfeits from those 
too late, or in too great a hurry to replace them], and 
all the birds in the air [general cry] flocked round again 
to see what the matter could be. Up came the crow 
('^ Caw, caw"), the raven (" Cro-a-ak," or " Never more," 
as agreed on), the wild duck (" Qaack, quack "), even the 
farmer's parrot ("Pretty Poll"), in fact, all the birds in 
the field [dead silence]. " O, ho ! " I said, " now I 
shall put some salt on you," when, to my horror, the 
beast of an owl — (" To-whit, to-whit, to-whoo ") — 
[all hands disappear as before, and the bird-catcher darts 
forward to catch some one. Whenever the bird-catcher 
says, " AH the birds in the air," every bird must answer 
at once.] 



38. _ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 

All take partners, and sit opposite each other. Then 
one person whispers a different question in the ear of each 
on one side of the room, and another gives an answer to 
each on the opposite side. The first couple commence. 
One asks the question whispered to him, his partner 
gives the answer whispered to her. Each couple take 
turns in giving the questions and answers. A lady 
should direct the gentlemen, and a gentleman the ladies. 
Each side asks the questions alternately ; the side that 
first asked the questions next making the answers. 



70 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



Jfflrfeits. 



A GREAT many games for children and older persons 
end in forfeits. A few hints in regard to them may be 
of service. It is very foolish for any one to join a game 
unless he is willing to forget himself for the time, and 
join heartily in it. The game of forfeits, if well played, 
is amusing to old and young. Every one should be will- 
ing to redeem his or her forfeit without stopping to think 
whether it is foolish or not. A good, hearty laugh is 
healthful, and every sensible person ought to be willing 
to take his turn in amusing the company. A whole 
game may be ruined by the absurd actions of some one 
who foolishly refuses to redeem his forfeit, for fear of 
lowering his dignity, or making himself ridiculous. 

In choosing a judge of forfeits, it is necessary to select 
a person of quick perceptions and ready wit. The judge 
must be prompt in giving his decisions, and they who 
redeem their forfeits must be as expeditious as possible. 
Promptness is necessary to the success of all games. 
The following list of forfeits, collected from various 
sources, may assist the judge : — 



FORFEITS. 71 

1. Say five flattering things to the one who sits next 
to jpu, without making use of the letter I. 

2. Rub one hand on your forehead at the same time 
you strike the other on your breast, without changing the 
motion of either for a moment. 

3. Describe a rose without saying the word. 

4. He or she must stand as a statue and not move, 
while the other players place the person judged into stat- 
uesque attitudes : the youngest child in the room can re- 
lease her with a kiss. 

5. Two little girls can redeem their forfeit by kissing 
each other rabbit-wise. This is done by each little girl 
taking an end of the same piece of string into her mouth, 
and nibbling it up till their lips meet. The string must, 
ou no account, be let drop by either player. 

6. Let the judge give out a line with which the one 
who owns the forfeit shall make another line to rhyme, 
no matter how absurdly. 

7. Laugh first, sing next, then cry, and lastly whistle. 

8. Place your hands behind you, and guess who 
touches them. You are not to redeem your forfeit till you 
guess right. 

9. Stand with your heels and back close to the wall, 
then stoop without moving your feet, and pick up the 
forfeit. 

10. Say " Quizzical, quiz, kiss me quick," nine times 
without a mistake. 

11. Ask the person who owns the forfeit what musical 
instrument he likes best ; then require him to give an 
imitation of it. 

12. Two little girls to kiss each other back to back. 
This is done over the shoulder. 



72 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

13. Pinch the right arm below the elbow. This is a 
catch : it can be done by pinching the wrist of the right 
arm with the left hand. 

14. Count twenty backwards. 

15. Count fifty without saying seven. This can be 
done by saying " six, the next number to six," &c. But 
it is difficult not to make a mistake. 

16. Make a speech in dumb show. 

17. Answer " no " to twenty questions. The redeemer 
of the forfeit can select the player to ask the questions. 

18. Turn your thumbs in opposite directions at the 
same time. 

19. Tell without hesitation, or counting, the fourteenth 
letter of the alphabet. 

20. Dance the cushion dance. To do this, take a 
cushion, dance with it, and kneel before some girl or boy. 
He or she then kisses you, and takes the cushion from 
you. 

21. Ask a person what animal he likes best ; then re- 
quire him to imitate it, either by action or sound. 

22. If a gentleman, he must put on a lady's bonnet, 
and imitate the voice and manner of the lady to whom it 
belongs. If a lady, then she must take a gentleman's 
hat and imitate his manner. (Sometimes these imita- 
tions are very humorous. The use of some word or 
expression habitually employed by the person imitated, 
adds largely to the sport.) 

23. Go to service. Apply to the person who holds 
the forfeit for a place as maid of all work. The ques- 
tions then to be asked are, "How do you wash?" 
''How do you iron?" "How do you make a bed?" 



FORFEITS. 73 

" How do you scrub the floor?" " Hoav do you clean 
knives and forks ? " &c. The whole of these processes 
must be imitated by motions, and if the replies are satis- 
factory the forfeit must be given up. 

24. Put two chairs back to back, take off your boots 
or shoes and jump over them. (The fun consists in a 
mistaken idea that the chairs are to be jumped over in- 
stead of the shoes.) 

25. To redeem a double forfeit. Two players on 
opposite sides of the room must shake hands blindfolded. 
This is an amusing forfeit. Both players being blinded, 
have, of course^ great difficulty in meeting. Their com- 
panions must guard them from being hurt in the attempt. 
It is by no means easy to shake hands under such cir- 
cumstances. 

26. Answer five questions without saying " yes " or 
" no." 

27. Walk three times round the room with a book on 
the head, without dropping it. 

28. Make a bouquet of six letters of the alphabet 
which are given you. Example : Suppose they give you 
y z h r. You could say, " I gather yew branches for the 
back of my bouquet, zinnias, bluebells, and roses for the 
flowers." 

29. It is said there is a person you have loved since a 
boy. 
Whose hand you must kiss ere I- give you this toy, 
It is not your father, or mother, or sister, 
Nor cousin, nor friend : take care not to miss, sir. 

\_I{imself.^ 

6 



74 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

30. Imitate a donkey to the best of your powers. 

31. Bite an inch off the poker ; i. e., the poker is held 
an inch off, and he bites the air. 

32. Make a low courtesy to each one in the room : if 
it is a gentleman, he must make a bow. 

33. Recite several of Mother Goose's melodies. 

34. Make wry faces at every person in the room. 

35. Admire yourself in the mirror. 

36. Shiver, and act the part of a person half frozen, 
or pretend to be nearly suffocated with heat. 

37. Rush around the room, and greet every one as if 
you had just arrived from a long and dangerous 
voyage. 

38. If a gentleman, act the part of a village orator; 
if a lady, act the strong-minded woman. 

39. Hold a candle, and ask somebody to kiss the can- 
dlestick. This done, the person redeeming the forfeit is 
released. The candlestick being the person holding the 
candle. 

40. Select some philosopher, and answer questions as 
that character. For example ; Humboldt, Benjamin 
Franklin, Diogenes, &c. 

41. Leave the room and return in a new character. 

42. Dance a minuet or hornpipe with another person 
without smiling. 

43. Tell the fortunes of three players by the lines on 
their hands, without smiling. (This forfeit should only 
be imposed on an adult.) 

44. Beseech a certain number of the players to weep 
for Cock Robin. If they consent, and do so without 
laughing, the forfeit is redeemed. 



FORFEITS. 75 

45. "Write down the names of all the Presidents of the 
United States in five minutes. 

(A gentleman's and lady's forfeit can be given to- 
gether in many cases, making it more amusing as well as 
expeditious.) 

46. Sing a song or repeat some high-flown poetry. 

47. Perform the laughing gamut, without a pause or 
mistake : — 

ha! 

ha! ha! 

ha! ha! 

ha ! ha ! 

ha! ha! 

ha! ha! 

ha! ha! 

ha ! ha ! 

48. Keep silence and preserve a sober face for 
several minutes, without regard to what may be said or 
done. 

49. Kiss your shadow in every corner of the room 
without laughing. 

50. The judge should put up the person to auction ; 
when he is satisfied with the price given, the forfeit is 
redeemed. This, if well done, causes much merriment, 
as the person sold must be described, telling both the 
good and bad qualities. 

51. Act the " Mocking Bird ; " i. e., going round the 
room and repeating everything said or done. 

52. Act the part of a pedler, asking every player in 
turn, " What will you buy of me ? " They answer 
according to fancy. 



76 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

53. A double forfeit. Four little boy players can 
redeem their forfeits by playing " Obadiah the Quaker." 
They sit in a row ; one at the end begins twirling his 
thumb slowly, and says, — 

" Brothers, dear, to you I say." 

All four must repeat this line, twirling their thumbs 
with great gravity. The leader then repeats, — 

" Brothers, dear, to you I say, 
That I must go to-day." 

This is also repeated with due solemnity. The leader 
continues : — 

" Brothers, dear, to you I say, 
That I must go to-day. 
To see my small brother 
O — ba — di — ah ! " 

He then rises, and kneels on one knee in the centre of 
the room. All kneel in a line close behind him. Then 
the one at the end of the row gives the player before 
him a good push, and they roll on the carpet, amid shouts 
of laughter. This is too rough for little girls. 

54. Repeat, without mistake, any difficult sentence 
which the judge appoints. 

55. Say to each person in the room, " You can't say 
boo to a goose." 

56. Tell the person to point out on a wall what he 
supposes to be the height of an ordinary hat. If, after 
measuring with a hat, he has (as is rarely the case) 
guessed right, he wins his forfeit ; but if not, he or she 
must wear the hat, and bow or courtsey to every one in 
the room. 



FORFEITS. 77 

57. Yawn till you make several others yawn. (It is 
well to give this forfeit to one of the male sex with a 
large mouth. A large circle of people may be made 
to yawn, by simply opening and closing the fingers 
slowly.) 

58. Two can redeem their forfeits in this way : They 
must stand in separate corners of the room, each holding 

. a lighted candle ; one begins and walks towards the other, 
with her handkerchief to her eyes, saying, in a most dis- 
mal tone, " The King of Morocco is dead ! — is dead ! " 
The other, in passing by her, in the same attitude, sobs 
out, " Sad news ! sad news ! " Again, in the same way, 
both exclaim, " Alas ! alas!" All must be said with- 
out laughing. The above penalty is often used as a 
game. 

59. A forfeit for four little girls. The judge calls 
upon four little girls to redeem their forfeits, by joining 
hands in the centre of the room and dancing around ; then 
each spins round like a top ; then join hands and kiss each 
other. Their forfeits are then restored to them. 

60. This forfeit is for two young misses : They must 
play the " Tidy Parlor Maids," without laughing. If 
they do not know how, the judge can tell them in a whis- 
per. They act the part of Bridget and Mary Ann. 
Bridget calls out, " Shall we dust the drawing-room 
ornaments, Mary Ann?" She replies, "Yes, Bridget, 
and do it well." (They go round, and with a feather 
brush dust all the players in the room.) 

61. Sit down on the carpet, and get up without touch- 
ing anything. 

62. Place a candle on a table or piano. Then blind- 



78 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

fold the person, and place him just three paces from it, 
and directly in front of the light. Then he must whirl 
around three times, walk forward, and blow out the can- 
dle. This is amusing. A room full of persons may try 
it unsuccessfully. Being blinded, and then whirling 
around, bewilders one, and he will very likely walk in an 
opposite direction, and perhaps blow in some one's face, 
feeling sure he is right. 

63. Forfeit for two. Feed the kittens. One takes a 
saucer with water, the other a teaspoon, and gives a tea- 
spoonful to each player, saying, " Take that, my pretty 
puss ! " to which, after taking it, puss must gravely 
answer, "Mew ! " 

64. Give the part of an old bachelor to a little boy." 
He must sit in the middle of the room, on a low stool, 
thread a needle, and pretend to mend a stocking or his 
coat ; must sigh, and say, "0, the miseries of an old 
bachelor ! " 

65. Kiss a book outside, inside, and in the middle, 
without opening it. (This is done by kissing the book 
outside the door, inside the room, and in the middle of the 
room.) 

6Q. Quote four lines from four negro songs, and sing 
them to a tune of your own composing. 

67. A young gentleman must make a speech to three 
ladies. To the first, a speech on fashions ; to the second, 
on marriage ; to the third, on woman's suffrage. 

68. Become a musical duck. The player must sing a 
tune correctly, using only the words " Quack, quack." 

69. Spell any word proposed by the other players 
without smiling. 



FORFEITS. / 79 

70. Act the magpie, by hopping round the room three 
times, with both feet together, singing, without a smile, — 

" Once so merrily hopped she, 
Twice so merrily hopped she, 
Three times so merrily hopped she, 
Heigh, oh ! heigh, oh ! heigh, oh ! " 

71. Four or eight players can redeem their forfeits by 
dancing a magpie quadrille. First form a quadrille, 
then dance a simple figure by jumping both feet together 
in time to the music. The music must be slow ; if 
there is not any piano, some one can whistle or hum a 
tune. 

72. To name three remarkable persons by the name 
of Elizabeth. 

73. To name three remarkable persons by the name 
of Daniel. 

74. Name three famous dramatic poets. 

75. Spell brandy in three letters. (O. D. V., " Eau- 
de-vie.") 

76. Make nine into six by adding a letter to it ; i. e., 
s-ix. 

77. Go round the room, and say to each person that 
which you think will give most pleasure. 

78. Ask three questions without moving your tongue. 

79. Write the names of all the United States in five 
minutes. 

80. Write the names of ten distinguished generals of 
the American army. 



AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



iames.flf Ptmors. 



French and English exercises of the memory, such 
as the following, may serve to amuse some leisure hour. 
The first is entitled the " Grand Panjandrum : " " She 
went into a garden to cut a cabbage leaf to make an 
apple pie ; and at the same time a great she-bear coming 
up the street, pops its head into the shop. ' What ! no 
soap?* So he died, and she very imprudently married 
the barber ; and there were present the Picininnies, and 
the Joblillies, and the Gurgulies, and the great Panjan- 
drum himself, with the little round button at top ; and 
they all fell to playing the game of ' Catch as catch can,' 
till the gunpowder ran out at the heels of their boots." 

" Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, 
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked ; 
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. 
Where is the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper 
picked?" 

A Frenchman, having taken herb tea for a cough, his 
neighbor asked him, " Ton The, t'a t'il ote ta toux?" 



GAMES OF MEMORY. 81 

" When a twister twisting would twist him a twist, 
For twisting his twist three twists he will twist ; 
But if one of his twists untwists from the twist, 
The twist untwisting untwists the twist.'* 

" Didon dina, dit on, du dos d'un dodu dindon." 

" Robert Rowley rolled a round roll round ; 
A round roll Robert Rowley rolled round ; 
Where rolled the re und roll Robert Rowley rolled 
round ? " 



1. — "LE JARDIN DE MA TANTE." 

Le vieu du jardin de ma tante. O, qu'il est beau le 
jardin de ma tante ! Dans le jardin de ma tante, il y a 
un arbre. O, qu'il est beau Tarbre du jardin de ma 
tante ! Dans 1' arbre du jardin de ma tante, il y a un 
trou. O, qu'il est beau le trou de 1' arbre du jardin de ma 
tante ! Dans le trou, de 1' arbre, du jardin, de ma tante, 
il y a un nid. O, qu'il est beau le nid, du trou, de I'ar- 
bre, du jardin, de ma tante ! Dans la nid, du trou, de 
I'arbre, du jardin, de ma tante, il y a un. oiseau. O, 
qu'il est beau I'oiseau du nid, du trou, de I'arbre, du jar- 
din, de ma tante. 

L'oiseau du nid, du trou, de I'arbre, du jardin, de ma 
tante, porte dans son bee un billet, oti ces mots sont 
ecrits : *' Je vous aime." O, qu'ils sont doux ces mots, 
" Je vous aime," qui sont ecrits sur le billet porte dans 
le bee, de l'oiseau, du nid, du trou, de I'arbre, du jardin, 
de ma tante." 



82 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



2. — ONE OLD OX. 



.^,1. One old ox opening oysters. 

2. One old ox opening oysters, two toads totally tired 
trotting to Tewksbury. 

3. One old ox opening oysters, two toads totally tired 
trotting to Tewksbury, three tame tigers taking tea. 

4. One old ox opening oysters, two toads totally tired 
trotting to Tewksbury, three tame tigers taking tea, four 
fat friars fishing for frogs. 

5. One old ox opening oysters, two toads totally tired 
trotting to Tewksbury, three tame tigers taking tea, four 
fat friars fishing for frogs, five fairies finding fireflies. 

This is repeated round the circle, always beginning at 
" One old ox," &c., and adding a new sentence each 
time, as follows : " Nine nimble noblemen nibbling.'* 
" Six soldiers shooting snipes." " Nonpareils." ** Seven 
salmon sailing in Solway." " Ten till tinkers taking two- 
pence." " Eight elegant engineers eating excellent eggs." 
" Eleven electors eating early endive." " Eight earwigs 
every evening." '^ Twelve tremendous tale tellers tell- 
ing truth." 



3. — A GOOD FAT HEN. 

1. A GOOD fat hen. 

2. Two ducks and one good fat hen. 

3. Three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one 
good fat hen. 



GAMES OF MEMORY. 83 

4. Four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, 
two ducks, aud one good fat hen. 

5. Five hundred Limerick oysters, four plump par- 
tridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one 
good fat hen. 

6. Six pairs of Don Alphonso*s tweezers, five hun- 
dred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three 
squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen. 

7. Seven hundred Macedonian horsemen drawn up in 
line of battle, six pairs of Don Alphonso's tweezers, five 
hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three 
squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen. 

8. Eight cages of Heliogabulus sparrowkites, seven 
hundred Macedonian horsemen drawn up in line of bat- 
tle, six pairs of Don Alphonso's tweezers, five hundred 
Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling 
wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen. 

9. Nine sympathetic, epithetic, didactic propositions, 
eiglit cages of Heliogabulus sparrowkites, seven hundred 
Macedonian horsemen drawn up in line of battle, six 
pairs of Don Alphonso's tweezers, five hundred Limerick 
oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, 
two ducks, and one good fat hen. 

10. Ten helioscopic, peroscopic, pharmaceutical tubes, 
nine sympathetic, epithetic, didactic propositions, eight 
cages of Heliogabulus sparrowkites, seven hundred Mace- 
donian horsemen drawn up in line of battle, six pairs of 
Don Alphonso's tweezers, five hundred Limerick oysters, 
four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two 
ducks, and one good fat hen. 

11. Eleven flat-bottomed fly boats floating from Mad- 



84 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

agascar to Mount Prunello, ten helioscopic, peroscopic, 
pharmaceutical tubes, nine sympathetic, epithetic, didac- 
tic propositions, eight cages of Heliogabulus sparrow- 
kites, seven hundred Macedonian horsemen drawn up in 
line of battle, six pairs of Don Alphonso's tweezers, five 
hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three 
squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen. 

12. Twelve European dancing masters sent to Egypt 
to teach the Egyptian mummies to dance and sing, eleven 
flat-bottom fly boats floating from Madagascar to Pru- 
nello, ten helioscopic, peroscopic, pharmaceutical tubes, 
nine sympathetic, epithetic, didactic propositions, eight 
cages of Heliogabulus sparrowkites, seven hundred 
Macedonian horsemen drawn up in line of battle, six 
pairs of Don Alphonso's tweezers, five hundred Limer- 
ick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild 
geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen. 



4. -. PLAY-GEOUND RHYMES. 

These are used by boys and girls in selecting the 
leaders of their games, instead of drawing lots. The 
following rhymes are in common use : — 

One is all, two is all, 

Zick is all, zan ; 
Bob-tail vinegar, 
Tickle 'em, tan. 
Harum-scarum, 
Virginia Marum, 
Tee-taw-buck. 



GAMES OF MEMORY. 85 

Little boy driving cattle, 
Don't you hear his money rattle ? 
One, two, three — out goes he. 

Aina, maina, ickery on, 
Feelsa, folsa, Nicholas John ; 
Quever, quaver, English naver, 
Stingum, stangum, jollo buck. 

Aina, maina, mona, mike, 
Barcelona, bona, strike ; 
Airy, wairy, dina, snack, 
Harico, barico, wee, wa, wack. 

One-ry, two-ry, dis-cum-dary, 
Hackibo, crackibo, Henry Lary ; 
Dis-cum dandy, American time, 
Humelum, jumelum, twenty-nine. 

Hitum, titum, little Kitty, 
Hop-um, skipum, jumpey daily ; 
Holy, poly, dilly, dally. 
He, hi, ho, diddle-dum buck. 

Lo-po, hi, do, de, ti, to, tu, 

Hany, wany, zany zan, you're the man. 



§mmB for ©to anir f oung. 



It is a good old custom in New England, on Thanks- 
giving evening, for old and young to join in merry 
games. And now we are glad to see the same custom 
extends even to the Christmas holidays. All such social 
games are very acceptable on stormy days in summer at 
the sea-shore, or any place of summer resort. We have 
taken great pains to collect, from far and near, a good 
selection of games adapted for all such occasions, also 
for the home circle. We leave out many games sent to 
us, and only use those we know to be good. We hope 
our games may assist both old and young to " drive 
away dull care." 



1.— BLIND-MAN'S BUFF. 

Blind-Man's Buff is ever a popular, though old- 
fashioned, pastime, too well known to render any de- 
scription of it necessary. 

A more quiet variety of blind-man's buff is played in 
the following manner: All the company arrange them- 
7 89 



90 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

selves around the room, one being blinded, in the centre. 
Some one then either numbers them, or calls them by 
the names of different towns or cities. Each one must 
remember the name given him. Then the one who 
named them calls out to any two in the party, such as, 
" Two and ten change places," or " Boston go to New 
York," &c. Those called must quickly exchange places 
(on pain of a forfeit if they do not), the one blinded 
trying to catch them on their way. The caller must 
make them change places often, and from distant sides 
of the room, so as to give the blinder a good chance. If 
he catches any one in the act of changing his place, and 
calls his name correctly, the person so caught must take 
the part of blind-man until, in turn, he catches somebody 



2. — SHADOW-BUFF. 

Shadovs^-Buff is a variation of Blind-man's Buff. 
Though not as generally known, it is equally amusing. 
A large piece of white cloth, or a linen or cotton sheet, 
is suspended smoothly at one end of the room, at a little 
distance from " Buffy," who sits with his face towards 
the cloth, and his back to the company. Behind him a 
light must be so placed as to throw the shadows of per- 
sons passing between it and Buffy directly on the 
curtain. All other lights must be extinguished. The 
players then walk, one by one, slowly between the light 
and Buffy (who must not turn his head), limping, 
jumping, grimacing, or disguised as they please, so as to 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 9l 

distort their shadows on the curtain. If Buffy can 
tell correctly to whom any shadow belongs (guessing 
once only at each person), the player whom he so dis- 
covers takes his place as BufFy. 



3. — BLIND-MAN'S WAND. 

This is another variety of the same game. The blind 
man carries a cane, which he reaches in every direction. 
Whoever it touches is bound, by the rules of the game, 
to take hold of it, and repeat whatever the blind man 
orders. The one who is caught can disguise his voice 
as he pleases. The blind man is allowed three guesses, 
and if he cannot discover the person touched by his voice, 
he must try another. This is an amusing change. 

There is still another called " Fettered Buff.*' The per- 
son who is to catch his companions is not blinded, but 
his wrists are tied behind him, and he catches by run- 
ning backwards. This form of the game is not recom- 
mended. The person so bound cannot balance himself 
easily, or guard himself, and is liable to injury from 
falling. 



4. — LAWYER. 

All who take part in the play assemble and choose a 
lawyer. The chairs in the room are arranged in two 
rows, as in a contra-dance. If there are an equal num- 
ber of gentlemen and ladies, the former choose their 



92 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

partners. The gentlemen take seats opposite the ladies. 
The lawyer proceeds to ask such questions as he chooses. 
The person addressed must never answer, but his part- 
ner must answer for him. If either makes a mistake, he 
or she must change places with the lawyer, and ask the 
questions. If the lawyer is ready in asking questions, 
turning quickly from one person to another, he can very 
soon catch some. one. 



5. — CONSEQUENCES. 

This is a quiet game. All assemble around a table. 
Each person must have a half sheet of note paper and 
a pencil. All are requested to write an adjective, ex- 
pressing either a good or bad quality in a man's charac- 
ter. Each one then turns over and creases down the 
place written upon, and all change papers. Each one 
then writes a gentleman's name, and turns it down, and 
all change papers again. Then another word o.f quality, 
applying to a lady, is written, and all the papers are 
turned down and changed as before. Then a lady's 
name is written. Then a place where they met; then 
what he said to her ; then what she said to him ; what . 
he gave to her ; and what she gave to hira ; then the 
" consequences." The paper must be turned down 
every time and changed, and no one must read what, the 
others have written. When all are finished, some per- 
son collects and reads the papers. Some are absurd, and 
others happen very correctly. For instance, they might 
read thus: " The clumsy Mr. Snooks met the beauti- 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 93 

ful Miss Primrose at a ball. He asked her if she liked 
turnips ; she sighed and hung her head, and said, ' If 
mamma is willing.' He gave her a bouquet ; she gave 
him a box on the ear. The consequences were too sad 
to relate." A party of merry girls and boys will like 
this game for variety. 



6. — RHYMING WORDS IN PANTOMIME. 

All who desire to join this charming pastime must be 
seated in a circle, in order that each player can have a 
clear view of all the other players. One of the com- 
pany must be selected to commence the game. He 
must think of some word which can be easily rhymed 
by other words, and give out only the termination of the 
word to the other players, saying, " I have thought of a 
word that rhymes with — — ; can any of you guess it ? " 
The players must not speak in answer to the leader's 
question, but whoever thinks of a w^ord to rhyme with 
the given termination must strive to act out the word he 
thinks of in pantomine, as plainly as possible, and the 
leader must closely watch the player who is acting the 
word, and as soon as he guesses what the person acting is 
trying to represent, if it is not the word selected, he must 

say, " It is not " (calling out the word represented), 

" that I thought of," and so on. As each player acts out a 
word, the leader must call out the word represented, until 
the right word is acted. The leader must then resign 
his place, and the person who acted out the right word 
must be the leader, and think of a word, giving out the 



94 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

termination to be rhymed with. An example will here 
be given to assist those ignorant of this game. 

Suppose the person who first selects a word, chooses 
" sting," and gives out " ing " to be rhymed with. Oue 
of the players makes a motion with his hands of ringing 
a bell. The leader says, " It is not ring, to ring a bell." 
Another player will by signs indicate a ring on the fin- 
ger. The leader exclaims, '' It is not a finger-ring." 
One of the players will imitate wringing of clothes. 
The leader says, " It is not wring." Another represents 
singing, and is told, " It is not sing." A player will 
perhaps imitate a bee stinging. Then the leader ex- 
claims, " Sting is the word ; I resign my place to you." 
Perhaps a few examples of rhyming words, easily acted, 
may be useful, which will be given here. 



Sun. 


Hair. 


Map. 


Hill. 


Sheep. 


Dun. 


Hare. 


Cap. 


Kill. 


Deep. 


Pun. 


Pair. 


Lap. 


Mill. 


Weep. 


Run. 


Pear. 


Rap. 


Fill. 


Keep. 


Gun. 


Bear. 


Snap. 


Still. 


Creep. 


Fun. 


Fair. 


Trap. 


Rill. 


Reap. 


Spun. 


Prayer. 


Flap. 


Sill. 


Cheap. 


Bun. 


Flare. 


Clap. 


Bill. 


Leap. 



7.-— STATUARY. 

Statuary, when personated by intelligent ladies and 
gentlemen, can be made very amusing. Some witty 
gentleman, well versed in statuary, takes the part of 
showman. He first selects from the company tliose he 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 95 

wishes to assist him, beiug careful to select only such as 
can best control their countenances. After obtaining a 
number of sheets, he takes possession of a parlor, shut- 
ting the rest of tlie company out. He then arranges his 
assistants as statuary around the room as quickly as pos- 
sible, covering each one, or each group, with a sheet ; then 
throws open the door, and invites the company to a rare 
exhibition of statuary. After making a grandiloquent 
speech he imcyvers a group, and gives as absurd a de- 
scription as possible ; so on through the whole. 

As fun is the chief object, take, for example, some tall, 
plain gentleman, and place him, with bow in hand, for 
Ciipid. For Diogenes, take a large wash-tub and a boy 
in it, &c. Another diversion is to cover some ladies and 
gentlemen, all but one eye, with a sheet, then let the 
company guess who they are. 



8. — PUT IN A WORD. 

Some one in the company leaves the room, while those 
remaining select a word, and then send for the person to 
return. She must ask some question of the person near- 
est to her, to which the one spoken to must make a 
prompt answer, and in answering he must make use of 
the word selected. Sometimes an acute person will guess 
the word from the answer given to her first question. 
Some awkward use or slight emphasis may betray it, but 
generally she will go to a number, and sometimes to all 
present, without guessing the word. In that case (unless 
some one volunteers to take her place), she must go out 



96 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

again. If she discovers the word, the one by whose 
answer she guessed it leaves the room, and those remain- 
ing choose a word, and the game proceeds as before. 



9.— PROVERBS. 

The company select some one to leave the room ; 
those remaining agree upon a proverb, such as '' All is 
not gold that glitters," and then send for the person to 
return to the room. She must ask questions of the 
company in turn. The first person asked must include 
in his answer the first word of the proverb, " all," the 
next person " is," and so on, till they complete the prov- 
erb ; if she has not guessed it, and there are more in 
the company, the next person begins the proverb anew. 
The one by whose answer the proverb is guessed, must 
then leave the room. This game requires considerable 
ingenuity and readiness. The proverbs selected should 
be familiar ones, such as " Make hay while the sun 
shines," " When poverty comes in at the door, love flies 
out at the window," " A fool is wise in his own conceit," 
" A stitch in time saves nine," "Never look a gift horse 
in the mouth," " All's well that ends well," " A bird in 
the hand is worth two in the bush." 



10. — GAME OF CHARACTERS. 

A person chosen leaves the room. Tho.se remaining 
select some familiar character, either in history or of the 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 97 

present day, for the absent one to personate. When he 
returns, the person nearest him addresses him by a ques- 
tion, as if he were the character selected. In like man- 
ner each person in the company in turn asks a question. 
The one at whose questions he guesses the character, 
must take his place, and leave the room in turn. For 
instance, " Napoleon, the present Emperor of France," is 
selected. When the person returns, the first questioner 
exclaims, " Are you not in constant fear of being killed ? " 
The next, " Are you really happy?" The third, ""Why 
are you so despotic?" The fourth, "Do you believe in 
fatalism?" Fifth, " Do you worship the memory of 
your uncle?" "Why do you not like us Americans?" 
&c. This play is often very amusing, and tact is required 
to ask questions that apply to the character, and are not 
too plain. 

Another form of this game can be played Sunday 
evenings, and teaches children a knowledge of the Bible. 
Let any one who joins the game^ select a character in 
the Old or New Testament ; the others must ask him 
questions, and by his answers guess the character he 
selected. The one who guesses it must select the next 
character. 



11. — SNEEZING. 

All who join this game assemble in a circle. The 
leader gives one of these syllables, " ash, ish, osh," to 
each one. Thus, to the first person, " Ash ; " the sec- 
ond, " ish ; " third, " osh ; " fourth, " ash," and so on 
through all the company. The leader must then stand 



98 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

in the centre and count four, slowly. When he pro- 
nounces four, all must sound their syllables at once. The 
effect is very amusing ; it sounds like a prolonged sneeze. 



12,— THE TRAVELLER'S ALPHABET. 

The players sit in a row, and the first says, " I am 
going on a journey to Annapolis," or any place beginning 
with an A. 

The one seated next to her says, " What shall you do 
there ? " The verbs and nouns in the answer must begin 
with the same letter, and so on through the alphabet ; 
the one who asks the question, " What will you do 
there ? " continuing the game. But as example is better 
than any directions, we will relate to you how a party of 
children played it. 

Ellen. I am going on a journey to Albany. 

Louisa. What shall you do there ? 

Ellen. Ask for apples and apricots. 

Louisa. {To her next neighbor.) I am going to 
Boston. 

Frank. What will you do there ? 

Louisa. Buy bonnets and buns. 

Frank. I am going to College. 

Susan. What will you do there? 

Frank. Cut capers. 

Susan. I am going to Dover. 

Sara. What will you do there ? 

Susan. Dress dolls. 

Sara. I am going to Erie. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 99 

Bussel. What will you do there ? 

Sara. Eat eggs. 

Bussel. I am going to Fairhaven. 

Grace, What will you do there? 

Bussel. Feed fawns with frogs. 

Grace. I am going to Greenbush. 

Howard. What will you do there ? 

Grace. Give gold to girls. 

Howard. I am going to Hanover. 

Sara. What will you do there? 

Howard. Hunt with hounds and horses. 

The party went through the alphabet in the above 
manner. Whoever could not answer readily, after due 
time was allowed, must either pay a forfeit, or suffer 
some penalty. 



13. — MIND YOUR FS AND Q'S. 

This game is a pleasant variation of our last game. 
The rule for this game is not to mention any place which 
precedes p or g- in the alphabet. Also the place must be 
in the native country of the person named, or (if a 
president or king) in his own dominions. Any mistake 
incurs a forfeit. We will give an example to show our 
readers how to play the game. 

Howard commences the game by saying, " General 
Grant has gone out to fight, with all his men, at — " 
Mind your p's and q's. 

Louisa. At Richmond. 

Howard. Napoleon has gone to fight. 



100 AMERICAN HOME BOOK, 

Sv.san. Paris. 

Howard. The Emperor of Russia has gone to fight. 
Sara. Moscow. 

Iloivard. You must pay a forfeit ; M comes before P ; 
and so on. 



14. — THE READY WRITER. 

This game can be played by any number of persons, 
each one having a pencil and paper. The leader of the 
game gives to each one (or each player chooses) a letter 
in the alphabet. Each player then writes a sentence of 
five, six, or seven words, each word commencing w^th 
the letter given him. When all have finished, each one 
in turn reads his sentence. If any one fails, he or she 
must recite some poetry. This game is an excellent ex- 
ercise to teach young persons a command of words. 
Sometimes the leader of the game requires each player 
to go through the alphabet, as follows : — 

Avoid avarice as an asp. 

Britons, be bold ! be brave ! 

Constant crime causes careless consciences. 

Do defer doing dirty deeds. 

Even every engineer engaged escaped. 

Fawning favorites fear fortune's freaks. 

God's goodness gives great gifts. 

Happy homes have happy hearts. 

It is instruction I intend. 

Jockeys joyfully joking jaded jackasses. 

Keep kind, kinsfolks, keep kind. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 101 

Little lambs love long lanes. 

Many men make much money. 

Name nine noi&y noblemen now. 

Ostentation often operates on opulence. 

Perfect piety produces pretty practices. 

Quit, quibbling quacks, quarrelling, quickly. 

Round rough rocks ragged rascals run. 

Such stings sting so sharply. 

Try to turn topsy-turvy. 

Up I up ! ungrateful, unjust usurper ! 

Verily, verily, vice vilifies virtue. 

Willing wives will wash well. 

Yes, yet you yawned yesterday. 

Zeal! zeal! zealous zary, zeal. 



15.— THE DWARF. 

. A YOUNG lady's hands are to be put into a child's socks 
and little shoes. She is to disguise her face — if known 
to the company — as effectually as possible. To do this, 
a piece of black sticking plaster put over one or two of 
the front teeth will prove very effectual ; a little rouge, 
or Avhitening the face, will help. She must then put on a 
bonnet, shawl, &c. Another player stands beside her, 
and passes her arms round her. They stand in a win- 
dow ; the curtains are drawn so as to conceal the young 
lady behind entirely, except her arms, and a table is 
placed in front of both. The front player puts her hands, 
dressed in shoes, on the table ; the one behind supplies, 



102 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

as we have said, arms and hands to the figure, and if 
well managed, when the visitors are assembled " to see 
the dwarf who tells fortunes," they will be struck by the 
illusion of the pygmy standing on the table. The dwarf 
is expected to be funny enough to make the guests laugh 
heartily. 



16. — A FASHIONABLE DINNER. 

A COOK must first be- chosen. She then declares she 
will cook a fashionable dinner, but she calls upon the 
players to provide the materials. Each player in turn 
can name a dish, but it must not be described by its right 
name ; only by something it resembles. If the cook 
cannot guess what it is, she must pay a forfeit or give 
up her place as cook. If a player names a dish by its 
right name, he or she must pay a forfeit or submit to 
some penalty. 

Ellen was appointed cook. She commences by calling 
upon Susan to order the soup. 

Susan. Soup made of a boy's name, a vowel, and 
two thirds of a toe. 

Ellen. Tomato. Frank, order the fish. 

Frank. A girl's nickname, and the Scotch name for 
man. 

Ellen. What can it be? Wait a moment; O, sal- 
mon. Louisa, order the meat. 

Louisa. A famous English wit, boiled. 

Ellen. O, dear, I cannot think. Frank called out, " I 
know — lamb." He being right, Ellen insisted on his 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 103 

taking her place. Frank then asked Ellen to name some 
dish to go with the meat. 

Ellen, A place where money is made, and im- 
pudence. 

Frank. O, that is mint sauce. Kussel, give us some 
more meat. 

Russel. The Grand Seignior's dominions, roasted. 

Frank. Turkey. Lina, give us some vegetables. 

Lina. A cooking utensil, a vowel, and part of a 
foot. 

Frank. Hurah for Lina. Potatoes. Clarence, give 
us some other vegetables. 

Clarence. An exquisite, and the king of beasts. 

Frank. O, dear ! I give up. Sara says, " Dandy- 
lions ; " and she being right, takes the cook's place. 

Sara. Julian, give me something for dessert. 

Julian. One third of two and a firelock. 

Sara. Trifle. Now, Henry, give me something else 
for my dessert. 

Henry. Married people. 

Sara. Pears. We shall not have time only for 
something to drink, which I call upon Howard to give. 

Howard. An amazing and talented periodical. 

Sara. Punch. Another from Oliver. 

Oliver. An island in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Sara. Madeira (wine). 

These examples will fully illustrate the game. - - 



104 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. - 



17.— AN EXHIBITION OF THE MODERN 
GIANT. 

This is rare sport when well managed, and for a time 
the exhibition appears very mysterions to the uninitiated. 
A large sheet should be strained across some open door ; 
folding doors are better adapted to this game, as they 
give a larger space for action. The room in which the 
spectators are seated should be darkened ; but in the 
room back of the curtain, where the giant exhibits, should 
be placed on the floor a bright lamp or candle, with a 
reflector, either of polished tin or a looking glass. Any 
one standing between the light and curtain appears im- 
mense in all his proportions, as his reflection is cast upon 
the sheet. Let the person acting as the giant first open 
his hands and spread his fingers wide, and let them 
appear at the bottom of the curtain, and gradually rise 
till the shadow of his whole body is exhibited between 
the light and the curtain. He will appear to rise from 
the cellar; then let him jump over the light, to the rear 
of the reflector, and it will seem as if he jumped up- 
wards through the ceilling. 

Many amusing scenes can be thus contrived. Articles 
of furniture, &c., can be called down from above, by 
simply passing them over the light. Dolls can be used 
with great effect. The giant can appear to swallow 
them, or destroy the pygmy race. Care should be 
taken to keep the profile on the screen or curtain as dis- 
tinct as possible. Some call this game ''The Man in 
the Moon came down too soon." 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 105 



18. — THE SHADOW AT COMMAND. 

This feat is performed by means of confederacy. 
Having privately apprised your confederate that when 
you strike one blow, it signifies the letter a, when you 
strike two, it means 6, and so on for the rest of the alpha- 
bet, you state to the company that if any one will M'alk 
iiito the adjoining room, and have the door locked upon 
him, perhaps the animal may appear which another per- 
son may name. In order to deter every one except your 
confederate from accepting the offer, you announce at the 
same time that the person who volunteers to be shut up 
in the room must be possessed of considerable courage, 
or he had better not undertake it. Having thus gained 
your end, you give your confederate a lamp, which burns 
with a very dismal light, telling him, in the hearing of 
the company, to place it on the middle of the floor, and 
not to feel alarmed at what he may happen to see. You 
then usher him into the room and lock the door. You 
next take a piece of blank paper and a pencil, and, giv- 
ing them to one of the party, you tell him to write the 
name of any animal he wishes to appear to the person 
shut up in the room. This being done, you receive back 
the paper, and after showing it around to the company, 
you fold it up, burn it in the candle or lamp, and throw 
the ashes into a mortar (an iron one is the best), casting 
in at the same time a powder, which you state to be pos- 
sessed of valuable properties. Having taken care to 
read what was written, you proceed to pound the ashes 
in the mortar, thus : Suppose the word written be 



106 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

" cat," you begin by stirring the pestle around the mor- 
tar several times, and then strike three distinct blows, 
loud enough for your confederate to hear, and by which 
he knows that the first letter of the word is c. You 
next make some irregular evolutions of the pestle around 
the mortar, that it may not appear to the company that 
you give nothing but blows, and then strike one blow 
for a. Work the pestle about again, and then strike 
twenty blows, which he will know means ^, < — finishing 
your manoeuvre by working the pestle about the mortal-, 
the object being to make the blows as little remarkable 
as possible. You then call aloud to your confederate, 
and ask him what he sees. At first he is to make no 
reply ; after being interrogated several times, he asks if it 
is not a cat. 

That no mistake be made, each party should repeat to 
himself the letters of the alphabet in the order of tlie 
blows. If he misses, you might go over, pretending you 
had forgotten some word in your incantations, as you can 
mumble to yourself when pounding. If your confed- 
erate is a good mimic, it would add to the amusement 
of all to mimic the sounds of the animal to appear to 
him. 

I have seen this game differently performed. Your 
confederate, after any word has been chosen, returns to 
the room, «and you give assurance that by your magical 
art you can inform him of the word. You then take a 
cane and draw a large circle, and at the same time re- 
peat any absurd jingle or formula of words ; then pre- 
tend to call up some ancient spirit, and by your raps on 
the floor tell your confederate your first letter. Then 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 107 

pretend to* draw magical figures, and repeat anything 
you think of; pretend to listen for an answer ; then call 
up some diiferent spirit, and by ydur distinct raps ex- 
press t'he second letter, and so on until the word is fin- 
ished. This game can be made very amusing. 



19. — BROTHER, I AM BOBBED. 

A PERSON who understands the game proposes to 
another, who is ignorant of it, to be blinded with him 
and be *' bobbed." After being blind-folded they sit 
down in two chairs placed back to back. The one who 
knows the game then removes the bandage from his eyes 
and ties a knot in his handkerchief. The others join 
hands and go round them in a circle. The one not bliud- 
folded carelessly hits the other with his handkerchief. 
The one struck, of course thinks himself hit by some 
one in the circle, and exclaims, " Brother, I am bobbed ! '* 
The other says, "Who bobbed you?" In answer, he 
mentions the name of some one in the ring. They all 
call out, " You are wrong ! " So he is bobbed till the fun 
is exhausted, he trying to guess the person who hit him, 
and expecting to change places when he guesses cor- 
rectly. The other pretends he is hit occasionally, and 
calls' out he is bobbed. It requires a good-natured per- 
son to take the joke pleasantly. 



108 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



20. — THE COMICAL CONCERT. 

This game, when well played, is extremely diverting. 
The players are arranged as an orchestra, and each one 
undertakes to imitate some musical instrument. One 
pretends to play the violin, by stretching out her left arm, 
and moving her right hand across it, as if she were 
drawing a bow ; another doubles up her hands and puts 
them to her mouth, to imitate a horn ; another moves 
her fingers on a table, to imitate a piano ; another takes 
the back of a chair and touches the rounds, as if they 
were the strings of a harp ; another motions as if beat- 
ing a drum ; another holds a stick after the manner of a 
guitar, and pretends to play upon it ; another appears to 
be turning a hand-organ ; another plays a flute, trom- 
bone, or any instrument he fancies, even a jewsharp. 
This is but half the game. Each musician should, while 
playing, make a sound with his mouth, in imitation of 
his instrument, thus : — 

Eub-a-dub, goes the drum ; 
Twang-twang, goes the harp ; 
Toot-too-hoo, goes the horn; 
Tweedle-dee, tweedle-dee, goes the violin, &c. 

If all play Avith spirit, it makes a laughable jumble. 
The leader must stand facing the orchestra, with a long 
stick, beating time, in an absurd imitation of some 
famous leader. In the midst of the noise and fun, he 
suddenly stops, and pointing his wand of office to one of 
the players, asks, abruptly, " Why don't you play bet- 
ter?" The one spoken to must answer instantly,^ and 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 109 

with suitable reference to the nature of his instrument. 
For instance, the drummer could say one of his drumsticks 
is broken ; the harper, that a string is loose ; the pianist, 
that a key is broken or out of tune ; the violinist, that a 
string is broken, &c. If they hesitate a moment, or give 
au unsuitable answer, or if they repeat an excuse already 
made, they must pay a forfeit, or take a new instrument. 
While one is answering, all must stop playing. When 
•the leader waves aloft his wand, all must commence 
again, and play till he speaks to some one else ; so On till 
they are weary. Sometimes it is a rule that all who 
laugh must pay a forfeit. There are many forfeits in 
that case. 



21. — CHINESE SHADOWS. 

This can be played only in the evening, by candle- 
light. A white curtain should be fastened smoothly at 
one end of the room, as in " Shadow Buff." Half the 
company must be spectators, and half actors. The spec- 
tators must be seated facing the curtain. Two persons 
in front should hold a ribbon or stick across the curtain, 
as high as they can easily reach, to mark the line on 
which the shadows are to move, or a line may be drawn 
across the curtain. The actors must stand behind the 
spectators, at a little distance, with a large supply of 
figures cut in paper, such as houses, trees, men, women, 
animals, birds, &c. These figures must be slowly passed 
along, one after the other, in the manner you wish 
the shadows to fall on the curtain. It is easy to 



110 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

make them advance, retreat, &c., while you hold con- 
versation for them. Those who are skilful in the 
use of these shadows, can make them represent a 
battle, game, contra-dance, &c. The figures of inani- 
mate things must not be moved ; birds can be suspended 
on the ends of strings, and swung about irregularly from 
time to time. The effect is not unlike a magic lantern. 
When the actors have played long enough, they must 
change places with the spectators. 



22. — FOX AND GEESE. 

This game is a very old one, but it is too good not to 
be always remembered. Arrange the company in this 
form, all facing inward : — 



O ( 

ooo ooo 
o 



The circles represent persons (or geese, as they are 
considered in the game). They must be arranged in the 
manner shown in the illustration, thus, in twos, and in 
two places in threes. The player outside tlie circle is 
called the fox. The object of the fox is to touch the 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. Ill 

outside one of three. But when he attempts to touch the 
outside one of the three geese, the outside goose must 
dart into the circle and stand inside two of the others. 
The fox can only tonch the one outside of three ; if he 
succeeds, the fox becomes a goose, and the one caught 
takes the place of the fox. One must be on the alert, 
and change as quickly as possible. We have seen this 
game, on a stormy day at the sea-shore, played with great 
zeal by old gentlemen, judges, lawyers, ministers, moth- 
ers, fathers, and children. One gray-haired gentleman 
was the fleetest fox of all ; no one could escape him, and 
his laugh made all hearts glad. Green old age is beau- 
. tiful to see, and the youthful are always made happier 
by its genial sympathy. 



23. — STAGE-COACH. 

All who join this game should be seated, with the 
exception of the story-teller. If there are vacant chairs, 
they should either be turned over, or taken out of the 
room. A person with a quick memory and a flow of 
words, should be selected for the office of story-teller. 
When all are seated, he or she passes around the circle, 
giving a name to each individual. When the story is 
told, the one whose name is mentioned must rise and 
whirl around. When " stage-coach " is mentioned, all 
must rise and turn around ; when it is said the " stage- 
coach tips over," all must change places, and the story- 
teller then takes his chance to secure a seat, and the one 
who is left without any seat must go on with the story — 



112 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

the former story-teller taking the name of the person 
who takes his place. If any one fails to turn around, or 
change places according to the rules of the game, a for- 
feit must be paid. The common way of telling the story 
is to describe the " Fidget family on a journey in a stage- 
coach." The following names are generally given to the 
company : Mr. and Mrs. Fidget, the baby and nurse. 
Miss Fidget, and Master Fidget, and maiden aunt ; gin- 
gerbread, band-box, trunks, bundles, off-horse, nigh- 
horse, driver, whip, reins, driver's seat, cushions, door, 
curtains, wheels, footman, &c. You must adapt your 
names to the number playing. In telling the story, it 
makes more fun to keep one or two (who will bear the 
joke) constantly whirling. The story and names are at 
the will of the story-teller. 



24. — THE MENAGERIE. 

This is a noisy game. All the actors in the play must 
take seats around the room, while, some one or two of 
the number must be chosen to give out the parts. The 
persons so chosen whisper in the ear of each one the 
name of some animal he is to imitate. When all are 
ready, and the signal is given by one chosen for the pur- 
pose, each one commences to utter sounds in imitation of 
the animal named to him. Those who fail must pay 
some penalty. It cannot be called a *' concord of sweet 
sounds," but such a game will give life to a too quiet 
company on a stormy winter evening. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 113 



25. — QUAKER MEETING. 

Those who join the game take seats around the room, 
and one or more whispers in the ear of each one some 
witty or absurd thing for him to do. All must be quiet 
who are not playing. When all are ready, one person 
claps his hands, and the first one must proceed to do 
what he was told ; the others must not speak or laugh, 
on penalty of a forfeit. Each one in turn must act his 
or her part. It must all be in pantomime. When all are 
through, each person must turn and shake hands with 
his or her neighbor, saying, " Friend, how dost thee 
do ? " It is important in this game that the one who 
gives the parts should be full of humor and of quick 
perceptions, so as to adapt the game to the persons play- 
ing. The parts assigned may be of endless variety. 
One person may be ordered to play a mock bravura on a 
table for a piano ; another to gaze in admiration of him- 
self in a mirror, and arrange his dress and hair ; another 
to act the scornful belle, while a gentleman acts the 
urgent, but despairing lover ; one to dance a hornpipe ; 
another to make a speech by gestures ; another to make 
grimaces in the face of every one in the company ; 
another to pretend terror and fright from some imaginary 
animal, &c. 



26. —RESEMBLANCES. 

One of the company taking part in this amusement 
rises, and addressing his or her neighbor, proposes the 



114 ' AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

following question : " What does my thought resemble? " 
The person interrogated replies as he or she pleases ; then 
the questioner adds, " In what way does the object you 
designate resemble that which I am thinking of? " If, 
as frequently occurs, there exists no affinity, no resem- 
blance between the two, a pawn must be given by the 
person interrogated. Here is an example : — 

Mary. Tell me, Alice, what does my thought re- 
semble ? 

Alice. A windmill. 

Mary. I thought of Rogers' poetry : what resem- 
blance is there between his poems and a windmill ? 

Alice. I can give an answer very readily : perhaps 
the very prettiest little poem written by your poet begins, 
" Mine be a cot beside the mill." 

Mary. That is right ; it is now your turn, Annie. 
What does my thought resemble ? 

Annie. A chandelier. 

Mary. I thought of a partridge : how does a par- 
tridge resemble a chandelier ? 

Annie. Dear me," I'm sure I cannot tell ! I will give 
you my pawn. 

This play, by the strange inconsistencies which it 
authorizes, exercises the imagination, and brings into 
play a good deal of wit. 



27. — INITIALS. 

The player guesses the true word from the initial let- 
ters of the other words uttered. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 115 

It is a mere trick, but an amusing one. Two only 
of the party ought to know it ; the one who directs the 
players, and the one who leaves the room, and enters it 
to guess the word. 

While she is absent the leader asks the players to se- 
lect a word. When they have done so, she tells every 
one the word to say when the guessing player returns. 
Example (Louisa out of the room) ; 

Ellen. What word will you choose ? 

The players consult together, and select "Boston." 

Ellen. Very well ; I will tell you what word to say 
to her. I will say to her, " Bonnet ; " Sara must say 
" Orange ; " Frank, " Soap ; " Susan, " Tongue ; " Rus- 
sel, " Owl ; " Grace, " Nuts." 

Louisa returns. Louisa calls upon Ellen first, as she 
leads the row, and asks her the word ; she only says, 
*' Bonnet ; " she then asks Sara, who says, " Orange ; " 
then Frank, " Soap ; " Susan, " Tongue ; " Russel, 
" Owl ; " Grace, " Nuts." Louisa must carefully remem- 
ber the initials of each word. Before guessing the word 
she must turn around three times, and then stamp her 
foot, then call out, " Boston." 



28. — GAME OF PHOTOGRAPH. 

One person is chosen to preside. He must see that 
each player is provided with pencil and paper with which 
to write his replies to the questions announced by the 
president. The questions are put in the order here given, 
and the answers must be numbered to correspond with 
the questions. 



116 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What virtue do you most admire? 

2. What vice do you most abhor? 

3. Who is your favorite prose author? 

4. Who is your favorite poet? 

5. Who is your favorite poetess? 

6. What book do you prefer? 

7. What is your favorite amusement? 

8. What is your favorite economy? 

9. What is your favorite extravagance? 

10. What is your favorite color ? 

11. What is your favorite hour ? 

12. What is your favorite art? 

13. What is your favorite picture ? 

14. What is your favorite statue ? 

15. What is your favorite season? 

16. What is your favorite flower? 

17. What is your favorite aim of life? 

18. Who is your favorite hero ? 

19. Who is your favorite heroine ? 

20. Which is your favorite summer resort? 

21. What is your favorite weakness ? 

22. What is the sweetest word in the world? 

23. What is the saddest word? 

24. What is your favorite man's name ? 

25. What is your favorite woman's name? 

26. What is your prevailing characteristic? 

27. What is your favorite piece of music? 

28. What is your favorite occupatiou ? 

29. Which do you prefer, wealth or a competency? 

30. Which is your favorite animal ? 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 117 

When all the answers have been written, the papers 
are collected by the president. No one is to see what 
answers have been written by any other person. After 
shuffling them together, the president reads them aloud, 
and each player guesses as to the authorship of each 
paper. Forfeits are sometimes collected, and the game 
prolonged in that way. This game cannot be well played 
.except hy persons who are well acquainted with each 
other. 



29. — MAGIC NUMBERS. 

Game I. 

Each player chooses a number for each question 
from the table of numbers, and the answer is then read 
aloud. 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9^ 10 11 12 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ' 9 10 11 

123456789 10 

123456789 

12 3 4 5 6 7 8 

12 3 4 5 6 7 

12 3 4 5 6 

12 3 4 5 

12 3 4 

12 3 

1 2 

1 

One of the party is selected to read the questions and 
answers. 



118 



AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



QUESTIONS. 

1. What do you like best? 5. What is my most earnest 

2. What is my character? wish? 

3. What is my chief hope? 6. Of what am I thinking? 

4. In what do I excel? 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 1. 



1. Talking. 

2. Flattery. 

3. Drinking. 

4. Sleeping. 

5. Music. 

6. Hunting. 



7. Scandal. 

8. Croquet. 

9. Admiration. 

10. Fast young ladies. 

11. Dancing. 

12. Reading. 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 2. 



1. Nothing particular. 

2. Firm. 

3. Timid. 

4. Obstinate. 

5. Gentle. 

6. Excessively mean. 



7. Fickle. 

8. Energetic. 

9. Prudent. 

10. Envious. 

11. Impatient. 

12. Generous. 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 3. 



1. To be useful. 

2. To be married. 

3. To be admired. 

4. To be rich. 

5. To be talked about. 

6. To sing well. 

7. To do c^ood. 



8. To be well dressed. 

9. To please. 

10. To be invited to croquet 

parties. 

11. To excel in all games. 

12. To be loved. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 



119 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 4. 



1. In flirting. 

2. In housekeeping 

3. In scandal. 

4. In goodness. 

5. In nursing. 

6. In mischief. 



7. In charity. 

8. In music. 

9. In paitience. 

10. In dressing yourself. , 

11. In kindness. 

12. In folly and nonsense. 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 5. 



1. To make myself agree- 

able. 

2. To display my clever- 

ness. 

3. To be of use to every- 

body. 

4. To be always well 

dressed. 



5. To be admired by all. 

6. To become distinguished. 

7. To be loved. 

8. To be envied. 

9. To be feared. 

10. To be amazed. 

11. To have rest. 

12. To go home. 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 6. 



1. Of an absent friend. 

2. Of the best novel. 

3. Of yourself. 

4. Of the one you love 

best. 

5. Of your own dress. 

6. Of a good dinner 



7. Of nothing. 

8. Of the last opera. 

9. Of your pet cat or dog. 

10. Of your neighbors' af- 

fairs. 

11. Of going to Europe. 

12. Of the beauty of Nature. 



120 



AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



Game II. 
Take the same table of numbers with different ques- 
tions and answers. 

questions. 

1. Your favorite flower? 4. Your favorite poet? 

2. Your favorite virtue? 5. Your favorite composer? 

3. Your favorite historical 6. Your favorite fault? 

character ? 

answers to question 1. 



1. Rose. 

2. Pansy. 

3. Dandelion. 

4. Lily of the Yalley. 

5. Forget-me-not. 

6. Mio;nonnette. 



7. Sweet Pea. 

8. Geranium. 

9. Sun Flower. 

10. Peony. 

11. Pinks. 

12. Japonica. 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 2. 

1. Truth. 7. Meekness. 

2. Fortitude. 8. Generosity. 

3. Industry. 9. Temperance. 

4. Gentleness. 10. Prudeuce. 

5. Courage. 11. Benevolence. 

6. Charity. 12. Patriotism. 

ANSWERS TO QUESTION 3. 

1. Mary, Queen of Scots. 7. Socrates. 



2. Joan of Arc. 

3. Napoleon Bonaparte. 

4. Oliver Cromwell. 

5. Queen Elizabeth. 

6. Sir Walter Raleigh. 



8. Julius Caesar. 

9. Richard Cour-de-lioQ. 

10. Washington. 

11. Daniel Webster. 
12. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 



121 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 4. 



1. Shakespeare. 

2. Scott. 

3. Oliver Wendell Holmes. 

4. Mrs. Henmns. 

5. Lord ByroQ. 

6. Tennyson. 



7. Mrs. Whitney. 

8. Whittier. 

9. Longfellow. 

10. Milton. 

11. Cowper. 

12. Wordsworth. 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 5. 



1. Mendelssohn. 

2. Haydn. 

3. Handel. 

4. Beethoven. 

5. Rossini. 

6. Chopin. 



7. Mozart. 

8. Heller. 

9. Sterndale Beunet. 

10. Strauss. 

11. Offenbach. 

12. Bellini. 



ANSWERS TO QUESTION 6. 



1. Indolence. 

2. Unpunctiiality. 

3. Procrastination. 

4. Untidiness. 

5. Chattering. 

6. Giddiness. 



7. Ill-temper. 

8. Obstinacy. 

9. Conceit. 

10. Pride. 

11. Vanity. 

12. Jealousy. 



Questions and answers can be added at the pleasure 
of the company. 
9 



122 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



30.— PENCIL SKETCHES. 

Boys and girls, please gather around a table, each 
with pencil and paper. Let each draw the head of a 
man, woman, or any animal. No player must see what 
kind of a head is drawn by his neighbor. Each player 
having drawn a head, folds the paper so that the head 
shall not be seen, and passes the paper to his left hand 
neighbor, who must draw a body to suit the head, with- 
out seeing the head. Of course the paper must be so 
folded that the second player can know to what point to 
attach the body. Having drawn a body, each player 
folds his or her paper again as before, and passes it to 
his left hand neighbor, who draws the feet and legs, and, 
folding the paper, passes it as before. Each player then 
writes the name of some lady or gentleman present on 
the paper passed to him. Then one of the players is 
selected to collect and exhibit all the drawings to the 
company. 

The results of the drawings will be found to be very 
amusing. 



31. — PUZZLE DEA WINGS. 

This game is commenced in the same manner as 
" Pencil Sketches." The players assemble round a table, 
each with a pencil and paper. One player must be se- 
lected to direct the game. The director then requests 
each player to draw some kind of line on his paper — 
crooked, straight, horizontal, angular, or in any way 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 123 

he or she prefers. The director requests all the 
players to fold the papers carefully, in order to 
conceal the drawings. He then passes a box or hat, in 
which all the papers are to be placed. After the papers 
are well mixed, the box or hat containing them is passed, 
and each player selects a paper. The director then re- 
quests each player to unfold his or her paper, and draw 
some figure which is formed partly by the line on the 
paper. The director then requests each player in turn to 
exhibit to the company his or her drawing. Whoever 
does not succeed in drawing some animal or thing, is 
ordered by the director, as a punishment, to recite some 
prose or poetry, or write a verse, or sing a song. 

This game often requires much ingenuity. We saw a 
perfect pair of snuffers drawn from such a crooked mark 
we should have despaired of making anything out of it. 
One boy drew a wheelbarrow, another a cow. 



32. — THE MAGIC WAND. 

The magician, or the person who wields the wonder- 
ful wand, has a confederate, who retires from the room. 
In his absence, the company (the magician being pres- 
ent) agree upon some piece of furniture or other article, 
by which the powers of the wand are to be tested. He 
is then called in, and the magician points to various arti- 
cles about the room. Whenever he points to any article 
except the one agreed upon, the confederate is sure to 
say, ••' That is not it ; " and he never fails to designate the 
right article when the wand is pointed towards it. This 



124 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

proceeding, which at first sight appears mysterious, is 
easily explained. When the magician points to the arti- 
cle agreed upon by the company, he slightly changes the 
position of the forefinger of the hand in which he holds 
the wand, or makes some slight gesture previously agreed 
upon by him and his confederate. The confederate looks 
intently at every article pointed out, and pretends to-be 
thinking deeply, while the company are generally so in- 
tent on following his movements that they do not notice 
the almost imperceptible motions of the magician. If 
one of the company thinks he has detected the trick, he 
takes the confederate's place, and sometimes finds him- 
self mistaken. If the magician is a very mysterious 
personage, he will be apt to magnetize the confederate at 
the beginning of the game. 

The " Black Art" is another form of the same game. 
The magician next before pointing at the ai'ticle agreed 
upon, points towards some object of a black color, and iQ 
that way gives the information to his confederate. 



33. — THE RHYMma GAME. 

Where several are passing an evening quietly together, 
this game may afford much amusement. It is played as 
follows : Each one of the company writes a single word 
on a slip of paper ; the more unusual and difficult the 
word is to rhyme with, the more amusement it makes. 
These slips of paper are placed in a hat, and each one of 
the company in turn draws one, and then writes a couplet, 
in which the word drawn shall stand at the end of a line, 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 125 

and the word at the end of the other line shall rhyme 
with it. Of course each may write as much more as he 
pleases. Where the company are witty and ready, and 
have a faculty of making verses easily, the game is a 
pleasant one. Epigrams on the company present, puns 
and good-natured hits, add much to the fun in this game. 



34. — THE POST. 

The party are seated in two rows, facing each other, 
down the room ; one person is left chairless, and becomes 
postman. He holds a piece of paper and a pencil, and 
asks each person to take the name of some town or city, 
American or foreign, which he writes down. 

When every one is seated, the postman calls out, 
" The post is going between Boston and New York," or 
any other places chosen as names by the players. The 
moment he speaks, the persons so named exchange seats 
rapidly, the postman, of course, trying to get one of 
those seats. When he says, " The general post is going 
out," everybody changes seats, and in the scramble, he 
manages to get one ; but, as there is always one chair 
less than the number of the players, somebody else is 
left out, and becomes postman. Any " town" not an- 
swering to its name must either pay a forfeit or take the 
postman's place. 



126 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



35. — CRAMBO. 



This game is quite old, and it resembles in some re- 
spects " The Rliyming Game." Yet as there is a differ- 
ence, we will give the directions. 

Each player writes a noun on a slip of paper, and a 
question on a larger slip of paper. All the papers are 
placed in a box and shuffled together. Each player 
draws out a question and a noun, and writes a reply in 
poetry, in which the noun is introduced. 

The reply can be an original or a quotation, the 
shorter the better. The papers are then collected and 
read aloud by some one person, and no one is presumed 
to know by whom any paper except his own was written. 
We will give a few examples : — 

Question. What bird do you prefer ? 

Noun. Harp. 

" I would na gie the Linnet '5 sang, 
So merry on the brownie lea, 
For a' the notes that ever rang 
From a' the harps 0' minstrelsy." 

Question. What do you think of Miss Sara? 
Noun. Rattle. 

O, she's a. flirt, 
With skill expert, 
And rattles with each beau ; ■ * 

I'm sure 'tis true, m 

Girls love to do 
What well to do they know. 

Clear and quick-witted players can make this game 
very amusing and lively by introducing into their answers 
witty and sly illusions to various parties present. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 127 

36. — THE GAME OF BURIED CITIES. 

Each player repeats in turn a sentence in which the 
name of a city is contained, so broken up and altered in 
pronunciation as to render it difficult of discovery. 

The sentences should be said viva voce, as, if read, the 
eye is too much helped by the spelling. All those who 
guess it readily receive a counter, and those who do not 
guess right suffer some penalty, just as the players decide 
before the game begins. 

Another way of playing this game, is to choose a judge, 
who gives every player so many counters. The judge 
then names a city, and each player must construct a sen- 
tence containing it. The judge decides on the best sen- 
tence, and all the players give a counter to the successful 
person. Another city is named by the judge, and so on, 
till the counters have accumulated in one or two hands, 
when the player who has the largest number is declared 
the winner, and becomes the next judge. Persons' 
names, such as poets, warriors, and other celebrities, 
may be used instead of cities. These sentences can be 
written or said, as the players prefer. We will give a 
few examples. 

NAMES OF CITIES. 

1. We took from Lesbos tonics of all kinds. 

2. There I saw Anna polishing my boots. 

3. We saw a hart fording a river. 

4. She, conquering her pique, beckoned us to come. 

5. The prettiest children are not always the best. 

6. We fell into the water, and papa risked his life 
for us. « 



128 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

7. How can tongue-tied people talk? 

8. You think I am boyish in all I say. 

9. I saw the deacon cording a trunk. 

10. Frank, our hero, met Louisa in the street, 

THE KEY TO NAMES OF CITIES. 

1. We took from LesBOS TONics of all kinds. 

2. There I saw ANNA POLIShing my boots. 

3. We saw a HART FORDing a river. 

4. She, conquering her piQUE, BEGkoned us to 
come. 

5. The prettiest children are not always THE BESt. 

6. We fell into the water, and paPA RISked his 
life for us. 

7. How CAN TONgue-tied people talk. 

8. You think I AM BOYish in all I say. 

9. I saw the deaCON CORDing a trunk. 

10. Frank, our heRO MEt Louisa in the street. 

NAMES OF PERSONS. 

1. He was a big, ranting speaker. 

2. Can you tell how ardently he loves her? 

3. Man goeth every day to his labor. 

4. To stimulate the sap, phosphates are often used. 

KEY TO NAMES OF PERSONS. 

1. He was a biG RANTing speaker. 

2. Can you tell HOW ARDently he loves her ? 

3. Man GOETH Every day to his labor. 

4. To stimulate the SAP PHOsphates are often 
used. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 129 



37. — THE WATCH-WORD GAME. 

This game can be played by any number of people ; 
all the players but one must have a sheet of paper and 
pencil. Before beginning the game, one player must be 
selected to time them with a watch, and to decide dis- 
puted questions. 

A word is then chosen which contains a variety of 
letters ; for instance, Mesopotamia ; which word each 
person writes at the head of his or her paper. Then the 
time-keeper must give out the time for each letter, either 
three or five minutes. When he calls out " Time," all 
the players must begin to write down as many words 
beginning with " M," and containing the letters only 
which are used in the word chosen, as " Mesopotamia." 
No letter must he repeated in any word more often than it 
occurs in the^ original word ; at the end of the time 
(three or five moments), notice is given by the time- 
keeper, and the players stop writing, and count up how 
many words they each have. The one having the great- 
est number begins and reads his or her list, every one 
announcing whether they have the same word, and every 
player erases the words which have been written by any 
one else. When the first reader has finished, the next 
person reads the words he or she has unmarked. So on, 
until all have read their unmarked words, that is, those 
which have been thought of by no one else, and written 
down the number (seldom more than two or three) to- 
wards his or her game. The company can decide for 
themselves whether plurals shall be allowed, as in the 



130 



AMEHICAN HOME BOOK. 



words we have chosen : " map," " maps ; " " snap," 
"snaps," &c., and proper names; also, whether the 
same word can be used, when different parts of speech ; 
as " map," the noun, and " map," the verb ; and words 
spelt the same, only with different meanings ; that is, 
whether these changes can be counted as separate words. 
Such questions should be decided at the commencement 
of the game. After '• M" is disposed of, " E" is taken 
in precisely the same way. So on through the word, 
unless the same letter is repeated twice ; then the repeti- 
tion is omitted, and Mes-op — ta — i are the letters taken 
from Mesopotamia to form the words from. For ex- 
ample : — 



M 


E 


S 





me. 


eat. 


sop. 


omit. 


met. 


east. 


sit. 


oats. 


meat. 


emit. 


same. 


opas. 


mop. 


epsom 


sate. 


&c. 


mat. 


Emma. 


some. 




&c. 


&c. 


&c. . 




P 


T 


A. 


I 


pat. 


top. 


am. 


is. 


pit. 


tome. 


aim. 


it. 


pot. 


tape. 


atom. 


item. 


post. 


tame. 


asp. 


imp. 


pie. 


tea. 


apt. 


impast. 


&c. 


&c. 


&c. 


&c. 



At the end each player counts up all his numbers ; 
whoever has the greatest number of words, which no one 
else has written, beats. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 131 



38. — POST-OFFICE. 

This family game is instructive as well as amusing. 
Each one present writes a poem, anecdote, essay, or a 
letter to some person, either present or absent. The 
articles written should be concise, and must in all cases 
be original. Any one who chooses to do so, caiLdisguise 
his handwriting. The papers, as they are completed, are 
carefully folded and directed, and then deposited in a 
covered box placed on the table. 

The post-master must be chosen by the company. He 
has a right to open all the letters and papers, first an- 
nouncing to whom each is directed, and reads them 
aloud. After the reading, the papers are distributed ac- 
cording to the directions written upon them. 

Young people who write for the " family portfolio," 
soon become very much interested in it, and find them- 
selves acquiring a ready use of the pen. 



39. — THE GAME OF TWENTY QUESTIONS. 

This is one of the best of the games, though but little 
known. Such men as Canning, Wyndham, and Pitt 
have played it ; the latter two, indeed, were especially 
fond of it, so it does not lack recommendatioii. The 
rules of the game and its description, are briefly these : — 

Two persons (usually a lady and gentleman), chosen 
by the company, privately fix upon an article or subject. 
Two others are then chosen to discover the subject so 



132 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

agreed upon, and they must do this by asking twenty 
questions as to its nature and qualities. A fifth person 
is usually selected as umpire, who is made acquainted 
■with the subject fixed upon, and whose duty it is to see 
that all the questions are fairly put and answered. The 
questions are to be put plainly, though in the alternative 
if desired, and the answers must be plain and direct. 
The object of the thoughts must not be an abstract idea, 
or anything so occult, or scientific, or technical, as to be 
beyond the reasonable information of the company, but 
something well known to the present day, or to general 
history. It maybe, for example, any name of renowD, 
ancient or modern, or any well known work or memorial 
of art, but not a mere event, as a battle, for instance. 
Of course the discovery, if made, is to be the fair result 
of mental inference from the questions and answers, not 
of signs passing, or juggling of any description. 

Mr. Pitt is said to have once succeeded in this game, 
when the subject was, The stone ujpon which Walworth^ 
Lord Mayor of London^ stood, when he struck down Wat. 
Tyler, in Richard IIJs time ! 

In a game in which Mr. Canning was the questioner, 
the questions and answers were as follows : — 

1. Does what you have thought of belong to the ani- 
mal or vegetable kingdom ? 

Answer. To the vegetable. 

2. Is it manufactured or unmanufactured? 
Ans. Manufactured. 

3. Is it a solid or a liquid? 
Ans. A solid. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 133 

4. Is it a thing entire in itself, or in parts ? 
Ans. Entire. 

5. Is it for private use, or public? 
Ans. Public. 

6. Does it exist in England, or out of it? 
Ans. In England. 

7. Is it single, or are there others of the same kind? 
Ans. Single. 

8. Is it historical, or only existent at present? 
Ans. Both. 

9. For ornament or use? 
Ans. Both. 

10. Has it any connection with the person of the king? 
Ans. No. 

11. Is it carried, or does it support itself ? 
Ans. The former. 

12. Does it pass by succession? [Not answered, on 
account of uncertainty ; but, by agreement, the question 
was counted one in the progress of the game.] 

13. Was it used at the coronation ? 
Ans. Yes. 

14. In the hall or abbey ? 

Ans. Probably in both ; certainly in the abbey. 

15. Does it belong specially to the coronation, or is it 
used at other times ? 

Ans. It is used at other times. 

16. Is it exclusively of a vegetable nature, or is it 
not in some parts a compound of a vegetable and a min- 
eral? , 

Ans. Exclusively of a vegetable nature. 

17. What is its shape ? [Objected to as too particu- 



134 



AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



lar ; withdrawn by the questioner, and therefore not 
counted.] 

17. (Repeated.) Is it decorated or simple? [Ob- 
jected to, but objection not sustained.] 

Aris. Simple. 

18. ^Is it used at the ordinary ceremonial of the House 
of Commons or House of Lords ? 

Ans. No. 

19. Is it ever used by either House? 
Ans, No. 

20. Is it generally stationary or movable? 
Ans. Movable. 

Answer guessed correctly at the end of the twentieth 
question : " The wand of the Lord High Steward^ 



40. — THE ALPHABET GAME. 

Each player is furnished with paper and pencil, and 
begins a story, every word commencing with the letters 
of the alphabet taken in succession. As it is almost 
impossible to find words beginning with an " x," those 
which begin with " ex" are used instead. When all 
have finished, each paper is given to one person who may 
be chosen to receive the papers before the game began. 
He must shufile the papers so thoroughly that even he 
cannot tell who they belong to, unless he knows the 
handwriting (if he does he must not betray that he 
knows). He must then read each paper aloud ; after the 
reading of each paper, all the players must guess by 
whom it was written. We will give, as an example, a 
paper written by a young boy in playing this game. 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 135 

" A bear came dancing expressly for George Howard ; 
I, John Kane, laughed merrily. Ned Osgood painted 
queer roses so truly uncommon, variegated with excellent 
yellow zinnias." ^ 

This illustrates an a b c story. 



41.--AEITHMETICAL PUZZLE GAME. 

To give the answer of a yet unioritten sum. Write 
down five figures ; for example : 3, 4, 6, 8, 2. Give the 
paper to one of the company, and request him to put 
five figures under these. While he is doing so, write 
what the total of the sum will amount to, on another 
piece of paper, and give it to one of the company to 
keep. The answer will be found thus : Take two from 
the right hand figure of the five you have written, and 
put it (i. e., the two) on the left hand side, and place a 
cipher in the place of the two. The figures of the above 
example would stand thus : 2 3 4 6 8 0. 

When the person to whom you have given the sum 
has added a row, take back the paper and add a third 
row of figures yourself, each of which, with the second 
TOW, must make nine ; thuB : — 

Original row, . . . . 3 4 6 8 2 

Company, 8 2 4 6 

Self, . . . . . 17 5 9 3 

Then give the paper to another member of the party (in 
order to puzzle them), and let him put down a row of 
whatever numbers he pleases ; take it back, and add the 



136 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

fifth and last row yourself, making nine of each figure 
of the fourth and fifth row, as before ; thus : — 

Original row, . . . . 3 4 6 8 2 

Company, 8 2 4 6 

Self, . . . . . 17 5 9 3 

Company, 4 2 6 19 

Self, 5 7 3 8 

Now ask another member of the party to add up the 
sum. When he has done so, desire him to compare it 
with your answer, long ago given, and he will find the 
amount exactly similar. 



42. — FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 

This is an excellent pastime for a large family, or sev- 
eral families can unite in it. Choose the most ready 
writer, and the person of the best judgment among your 
number, for the editor. He must also be a good penman. 
Your paper can be a weekly or a monthly journal, as 
you please. Every member of the family must con- 
tribute one or more articles for the paper, either serious, 
laughable, instructive, or absurd pieces, and give to 
the editor in season for him to arrange his paper, and 
publish it at the appointed time. Such as wish to con- 
ceal their authorship must notify the editor, and he is 
bound in houor not to reveal the name of any writer 
without his permission. Large sheets can be procured, 
or two or more small ones can be used together. The 
paper can then be read aloud to the family, or each can 



GAMES FOR OLD AND YOUNG. 137 

read it separately. The family paper will be found to 
add another link to the home chain. All the papers thus 
prepared should be carefully preserved, and in after 
years they will prove a source of pleasure. Most vividly 
will they bring by-gone days before you. 

A friend of mine lately told me of a newspaper of 
this description, edited by a nephew only eleven years of 
age. She said that its perfect regularity and neatness 
were beautiful to see. He printed the whole with a pen, 
and it was arranged in proper newspaper form. The 
leading editorials first, followed by a letter from abroad, 
anecdotes, terrible accidents, telegraph news, marriages, 
deaths, advertisements, &c. He was one of a family of 
nine. Every member of the family wrote for it ; even a 
little girl of six wrote an anecdote about her pet lamb. 



43. — AN IMPOSSIBILITY. 

This is not exactly a game, but rather a trick. Often 
some simple trick, or rather " catch," will excite more 
merriment than a really pretty game. If at any time a 
party of children or adults seem dull, let the lady of the 
house get an orange, candy, or any desirable article, and 
call the attention of the company to this article, saying. 
Whoever can stand with his back against the wall, and 
his heels close to the wall, and pick up this orange, &c. 
(without moving the feet), which I shall place in front of 
the feet, shall win the orange, or candy, &c. Many little 
ones will feel quite sure they can win the fruit and will 
offer to try. One by one will try so hard, but the heel 
10 



138 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

will move, till at last they give up. It seems a simple 
thing to do, but it is an imp 



44. — A SIMPLE LITTLE PUZZLE. 

Let one of the party suddenly ask, " Can anybody 
put one of his hands in such a position that the other 
cannot, by any possibility, touch it?" As there is but 
one such position (namely, clasping the elbow), a good 
deal of fun may be got out of the various and often 
clumsy attempts to find it out. 



45. — THE GIANTESS. 

A TALL lad is dressed in a petticoat. Then a large 
umbrella is covered with a gown and cloak, a ball for a 
head is placed on the top of the umbrella-stick above the 
dress, and a bonnet and thick veil put on it. The um- 
brella is partially opened, so that its sticks set out the 
dress and cloak as a crinoline does. The player gets 
under it, and holding the hajadle up as high as he can, 
appears like a gigantic woman. Somebody knocks at the 
door, to pretend there is an arrival ; the door opens, and 
in walks the Giantess, to the amazement of the company. 
It has a good effect to enter, holding the umbrella natural- 
ly and then raise it by degrees. In clever hands the 
Giantess causes a great deal of fun. 



NEW GAMES. 139 



1.— MATADORE. 

A SPANISH GAME OF DOMINOES. 

This is by far the most interesting game played with 
dominoes ; few people know the game, the origin of 
which is unknown, though from its name it probably 
comes from Spain. 

The players draw each a domino, and the one who 
draws the highest sets first. Then the dominoes are all 
tlioronghly shuffled, and each player draws five dominoes 
from the pack. The one who was to set first, puts down 
any domino he pleases, of the' five in his hand. 

The matadores are the six-ace, five-deuce, four-tray, and 
the double blank, which may be played at any time and 
on either end. In playing, a domino must be laid down 
which shall count seveii with the one on which it is played. 
Doublets count as if they were single cards only. For 
example : A sets the double five ; B may match it with 
double deuce ; deuce-six (the deuce end of course against 
the five to count seven), deuce-four, deuce-blank, deuce^ 



140 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

ace, or with a matadore. But it should be remembered 
that matadores and dominoes with one blank end, make 
up the strength of a hand, and are usually to be retained 
like trumps in whist, for the decisive point of the game. 
Nice judgment and calculation are required in the play- 
ing of the matadores and blanks. On a blank end noth- 
ing but a matadore can be played, and if all the 
matadores have been played, and both ends are blanks, 
the game is blocked. 

Players have the right to draw from the pack at any 
time, whether they are able to play a domino they have 
already in their hand or not. 

When two play this game, three dominoes must always 
be left in the pack. If three or more play, all the domi- 
noes are drawn if necessary. 

The number of points necessary to win a game may 
be fixed before playing, at fifty, one hundred, or more. 

The players sit alternately, and the score is to be care- 
fully kept of the count made on each hand. He gets the 
count who plays all his dominoes first, or who has the 
lowest number if the game is blocked. 

In counting for the score, e'ach domino represents 
its face ; as, six-four = 10 ; double-six = 12 ; double- 
five = 10, &c. 

If the game is played with partners, the party winning 
a hand scores all their two opponents hold, and in event 
of a block in the game, the partners having the least 
score take the count. 

The care and skill required to play this game well, 
make it alike interesting to old and young. 



NEW GAMES. 141 



-GROMMETS. 



This game derives its name from the rings used in 
.playing it. A grommet. is, in nautical language, a strand 
of rope, laid round to form a ring. 

The implements used to play this game may be 
■ bought at any of the toy stores ; but as they are 
somewhat expensive, and may be as well and quite 
cheaply made at home, we give directions for their 
manufacture. 

Plane off smoothly a piece of pine board, whose 
dimensions shall be, when finished, about twelve inches 
in breadth by sixteen iu length, and two inches in thick- 
ness. Into the centre of this board wedge tightly a 
pyramidal wooden pin about a foot in length, and ten 
inches in circumference at the bottom, and three inches 
in circumference at the top. 

To make the rings, which are ten in number, cut 
tarred rope, about an inch in diameter, into pieces about 
fourteen inches in length. Having bent these pieces into 
a ring-shape, glue the ends firmly together, or fasten 
them by winding waxed thread around. To protect the 
hands, cover the rings neatly with cloth of any pretty 
color. 

Any number of persons can play the game. When 
sides are chosen, each player has ten throws, and on 
each throw endeavors to toss the ten rings in succession 
over the pyramidal pin. 

The sides take turns in tossing, and the side throw- 



142 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

ing the greater number of rings over the pin wins the 
game. 

Gentlemen in playing this game should stand about 
fifteen feet from the board, and ladies about twelve feet, 
but these distances may be greater or less, according to 
ao:reement. 



NATURAL MAGIC. 143 



BatMrnI Pagit. 



1. — THE MYSTERIOUS PENDULUM. 

We tried this trick many years ago, and as yet we 
have received no satisfactory explanation, but we trust it 
will not be the less satisfactory to our young readers on 
that account. 

Sling a quarter of a dollar at the end of a piece of 
stout thread (or an English shilling) by means of a loop. 
Have by your side an empty tumbler or goblet. Rest 
your elbow on the table, and suspend the piece of money 
on its thread, into the middle of the empty tumbler, tak- 
ing care that the thread lies across the ball or pulse of 
the thumb. The hand must be quite immovable. 

For a moment after it has recovered its equilibrium, 
the money will be stationary. Then, of its own accord, 
and without the least agency from the person holding it, 
it will vibrate, like a pendulum, from side to side of the 
tumbler, and after a little while it will strike against the 
glass the hour nearest to the time it actually is at the 
moment. For example, if the time be twenty minutes, 



144 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

or a quarter, &c., past nine, it will strike nine. If 
thirty-five minutes past nine, it will strike ten. When it 
has struck the hour, its vibration ceases, it acquires a 
rotary motion, and at last becomes stationary. 



2.— A CHEMICAL FEAT. 

Put a piece of beet root into a wine glass ; it will be 
of a deep red. Add a little lime water, and the pieces 
will instantly become white. Dip a piece of white cloth 
into this colorless mixture, dry it rapidly, and behold, 
you will have dyed it red. 



3. — MAGIC PICTURES, ETCHED BY THE 
COMPANY. 

First Picture. — Get a chemist to dissolve in water 
a little muriate of cobalt ; it will be of a pink color. 
Request any of the company who can draw, to etch a 
few leaves, or weeds — bulrushes will do — with this 
liquid. It will scarcely be visible. Hold it to the fire, 
at a little distance from the bars, and the sketch will turn 
a brilliant green. As it cools, the color will disappear. 

Second Picture. — Get a chemist to dissolve some 
nitrate of bismuth in water for you. Ask your friends 
to etch with it, if you cannot yourself. As the drawing 
dries, it will become invisible. Dip it in water, and 
it will become clearly visible again. 



NATURAL MAGIC. 145 



4. — A BORROWED SHILLING IN A 
WORSTED BALL. 

This simple trick should be in the repertoire of every 
amateur magician. 

A large ball of worsted is obtained, and a marked ten- 
cent piece having been borrowed from the audience, the 
worsted is unwound, and out falls the shilling which but 
a moment before was supposed to be in the hand of the 
operator. It is done in this way : Procure a few skeins 
of thick worsted ; next a piece' of tin in shape of a 
flat tube, large enough for the coin to pass through, and 
about four inches long. Then wind the worsted on one 
end of the tube, to a good sized ball, having a shilling 
of your own in your right hand. You may now show 
the trick. Place the worsted ball anywhere out of sight, 
borrow a marked ten-cent piece, and, taking it in your 
left hand, you put the one in your right hand on the end 
of the table farthest from the company ; while so doing, 
drop the marked shilling into the tube, pull the tube out, 
and wind a little more worsted in order to conceal the 
hole. Then put the ball into a tumbler, and taking the 
shilling you left on the table, show it to the company 
(who will imagine it to be the borrowed ten cent-piece), 
and say " Presto ! fly ! pass ! " Give the end of the ball 
to one of the audience, and request him to unwind it, 
and on that being done, the money will fall out. 



146 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



5. — THE DANCING SPECTRE. 

This illusion, if well arranged, excites the wonder of 
the spectators. 

Draw the figure of a spectre on a piece of card-board, 
and arrange it after the manner of the " Dancing Jim 
Crows " and " Dancing Jacks," exposed for sale in the 
toy shops ; so that by holding the figure by the head in 
one hand, and pulling a string with the other, the figure 
will throw up its legs and arms in a very ludicrous man- 
ner. The card-board should be black (or paint white 
card-board black) , the connections of the arms, legs, and 
the pulling string should be made with black string. 
Get a piece of board the size of a large slate, paint it 
both sides a dead black color, like a common school 
black-board. Tack the spectre by the head to the 
black-board. This board and spectre should be prepared 
in the daytime, and placed in some convenient spot ready 
to be exhibited to evening company. 

When your company have assembled and some amuse- 
ment is desired, propose to draw a spectre on a black- 
board with chalk, and make it dance at your command. 

Now to perform. Produce the board. Exhibit only 
the side upon which there is nothing. 

Request that the lights may be lowered half way, and 
take your position at a little distance from the company. 
With a piece of chalk make one or two attempts to draw 
a figure ; rub out your work as being unsatisfatory ; turn 
the black-board ; the black figure will not be noticed ; 
rapidly touch the edges of the card-board figure with 



NATURAL MAGIC. 147 

chalk, filling up ribs, &c., at pleasure, and taking care 
that nothing moves while the drawing is progressing. 
Then make passes before it with your hand, reciting 
some words of incantation, ending by commanding the 
spectre to dance. Then skilfully pull the string below" 
the figure ; it will, of course, kick up its legs, and throw 
about its arms, to the astonishment of every body. If 
. there is a piano in the room, request some one to play a 
dance ; it will greatly assist the illusion. 



6.— THE WINGED SIXPENCE. 

Pierce a hole on the edge of a ten-cent piece, and at- 
tach it to a piece of Avhite sewing silk, at the end of 
which is a piece of elastic cord about twelve inches in 
length, Sew the cord to the lining of your left hand 
coat sleeve, but be careful that the end of the cord to 
which the coin is attached does not extend lower than 
within two inches of the end of the sleeve when the coat 
is on. Having done this, bring down the ten-cent piece 
with the right hand, and place it between the thumb and 
the forefinger of the left hand, and show it to the com- 
pany. Tell them you will give it to any one present 
who will not let it slip away. You must then select one 
of your audience, to whom you proffer the ten-cent piece, 
and just as he is about to receive it, you must let it slip 
from between your fingers, and the contraction of the 
elastic cord will draw the coin up your sleeve, and its 
sudden disappearance will be likely to astonish the 
wouldrbe recipient. 



148 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

This feat can be varied, by pretending to wrap the coin 
in a piece of paper or a handkerchief. Great care should 
be taken not to let any part of the cord be seen, as that 
would be the means of discovering the trick. 



7. — HANDWRITING UPON THE WALL. 

Cut the word or words to be shown, out of a thick 
card or pasteboard ; place it before a lighted lamp, and 
the writing will be distinctly seen upon the wall of the 
room. 



149 



%\t Sihl 



Fortune-telling, as a practice, is morally wrong, 
and they who intentionally deceive credulous people com- 
mit a sin. The effects of such deception on sensitive 
minds are often lasting, and in some instances have been 
attended with very sad results. Almost all persons have 
a little superstition in their natures, and naturally relish 
mystery. 

But as a game and pastime, fortune-telling is harmless 
and amusing. The old-fashioned fate lady has afforded 
much amusement and profit at fairs. The following is a 
more modern and graceful method : Cut green enamelled 
paper in the shape of oak leaves, and on the white side 
write some simple oracle. The person who represents 
the sibyl, seats herself, dressed in character, under a 
tasteful canopy, with a table in front, and her sibylline 
leaves scattered over it, with the green side upwards. 
Then as individuals inquire their fate of the oracle, let 
her move about the leaves, muttering some incantation, 
and let each one select his or her own leaf. Another 
way is to hold the leaves in a cornucopia, and scatter 



150 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

them around from it. Care must be taken not to expose 
the white side of the leaves. 



1. — THE FIAT OF FATE. 

'Make twelve flat pincushions, heart shape, and all of 
different colors, such as blue, variegated, white, scarlet, 
green, lilac, checkered, brown, slate, purple, yellow, and 
pink. Have a loop of narrow ribbon fastened to each, 
and stick small pins all around them. Take some nar- 
row ribbon and string them all upon it ; they are then 
ready to be used, with the following oracles : — 

THE FIAT OF FATE. 

To all who wish their fate to know, 
These hearts will future fortunes show ; 
With shaded eyes then touch and name — 
The color will thy lot proclaim. 



If fortune favors thee, wish blue ; 
Thou couldst not wish a brighter hue ; 
On life's dark disk this shade portrays 
Truth, happiness, and length of days. 

VARIEGATED. 

These variegated colors show 
A pleasing mixture here below, 
To those whose lot it is to name 
This emblem, of both joy and pain. 



THE SIBYL. 151 



This lovely white then touch with joy, 
And gain a fate without alloy ; 
Fair, pure, and spotless is the life 
Thus singled out from future strife. 



With caution this gay color name. 
For wide and evil is its fame ; 
Inflammatory, it taints the air, 
Portending strife and civil war. 



This cool, inviting, lovely green 
Has to the single ever been 
An emblem of their future state. 
Their peaceful, though forsaken, fate. 



The licac tint betokens life 
Of every hope, and plans are rife ; 
Of loVe and friendsbip, holy, true, 
The pink is tempered by the blue. 

CHECKERED. 

The many colors here portrayed. 
Of every hue, and every shade, 
Portends a checkered, changing lot, 
From palace to the humble cot. 



152 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



This sombre brown denotes a calm 
And pleasing life, devoid of harm ; 
An innocent and simple mind, 
A temper meek and well inclined. 



This pale and melancholy shade 
Betokens ills that never fade ; 
But prey upon the tainted power, 
Imbittering each succeeding hour. 



This royal color, rich in pride, 
A splendid fate may well betide ; 
Exalted rank and riches great. 
Vanity, power, pomp, and state. 



Beware of yellow ; 'tis a color 
Speaks of misery, grief and dolor ; 
Of jealousy, and broken vows, 
And many nameless, endless woes. 



A life of innocence and mirth 
Will be thy portion here on earth ; 
With reason then you may rejoice. 
The modest pink has been your choice. 



THE SIBYL. 153 



2. — FLOWER FATE. 



Procure a quantity of cards, each with a separate 
flower painted upon it. In a book write the meaning of 
each flower, and then let a person choose any number of 
cards. You must look out the meaning of each, and 
ingeniously combine the whole into one sentence. A 
more beautiful design for a fair or a social party is the 
arrangement of natural flowers in small fate bouquets, 
some one person arranging their accompanying oracles 
beforehand. Then let the person seeking to know his 
fate select a bouquet. 



3. — FATE BOX. 

Write a number of fates and fill a box, made with an 
opening just large enough to admit the hand. Then, as 
the person seeks his fortune, shake up the box, and let 
him draw out his fate. 



11 



154 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



ittskal §mm, or Pome §mtm^. 



Musical games, or Home dancing, are the most agree- 
able of all indoor pastimes that combine pleasure with 
healthful exercise. The modern gymnasium is as attrac- 
tive as our dancing-schools, but its exercises are often 
too violent for delicate children. 

The dancing-school has proved physically beneficial to 
many who have been sent to it as an experiment at an 
early age. Such exercise invigorates the frame, and 
does more for permanent health than can be accom- 
plished by medicine. Exercise, to be beneficial, must 
have some pleasant excitement connected with it. 

It is a pleasant sight to see a home circle, old and 
young, joining in a lively quadrille, or an old-fashioned 
contra-dance, in the early evening hour, either the mother 
or a daughter presiding at the piano. How joyously 
even children of three and four years old make their tiny 
Feet move in time to merry music. " Pop goes the 
Weasel," is a dance .only suited to little children, and 
they are apt scholars, and can all join in singing the pop- 
ular tune. It may be well to give the directions for this 
and a few other simple home dances. 



MUSICAL GAMES, OR HOME DANCING. 155 

l._POP GOES THE WEASEL. 

This is an old English dance revived. The positions 
first taken are the same as in the contra-dance, the ladies 
and gentlemen being placed in lines opposite to each 
other. The couple at the top begin the figures. They 
first dance down outside the lines and back, then join 
hands and down the middle, then join hands with 
the lady of the couple next to them, and the three 
dance around in a circle till the music comes to 
"Pop goes the Weasel." As they sing that, the second 
lady passes quickly under the joined hands of the couple 
dancing, and goes to her pkce ; the same couple then 
join hands with the gentleman opposite, and at the 
proper time he pops under their joined hands in like 
manner ; then down outside, back again, and join hands, 
and down the middle ; then take the next lady and dance 
around as before. So on through the whole line. As 
soon as the top couple have danced down twice, the next 
couple begins. If there are long lines, there is often a 
number of couples dancing together, and when all sing 
in time the dance is very pretty. 



2. — UGLY MUG. 

This lively game is excellent for an evening frolic, 
where old and young join together in merry-making. 

This is a musical game, and if some one of the com- 
pany will play some simple air adapted to the words, it 
will add to the pleasure of the game. The gentlemen 



156 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

take partners, and stand as in the Virginia reel, opposite 
to each other. The couple who understand the game 
best should take the lead. The players should all join 
in singing and acting the words (the w^ords should be 
adapted to a simple tune, easily sung by all). The 
leaders commence the game by singing, " I put my right 
hand in " (at the same time extending the right hand) ; 
" I put my right hand out " (they must face out and ex- 
tend the right hand) ; " I give my right hand, shake, 
shake, shake, and turn myself about" (at the same time 
shake the right hand to the words sung, and whirl back 
to place). Every player must promptly join in acting and 
singing these words. The next lines are, " I put my 
left hand in, I put my left hand out, I give my left hand 
shake, shake, shake, and turn myself about. " This must 
be acted and sung by all, as we directed with the first 
w^ords. We will give the words all together in the order 
they are played and sung. 

" I put my right hand in, 1 put my right hand out ; I 
give my right hand shake, shake, shake, and turn myself 
about." 

" I put my left hand in, I put my left hand out ; I 
give my left hand shake, shake, shake, and turn myself 
about." 

" I put my two hands in, I put my two hands out ; I 
give, &c." 

" I put my right foot in, I put my right foot, &c." 

'' I put my left foot in, I put, &c." 

" I put my two feet in, I put, &c." 

" I put my ugly mug in, I put, &c." 

We have not thought it necessary to give all the words, 



MUSICAL GAMES, OR HOME DANCING. 157 

as every line is to be repeated and acted in the same 
form as the first line. In putting the two feet in and out, 
all the players jump forward, then turn and jump out; 
for shake, shake, shake, they jump up and down. 



3. — LANCERS. 

This, also, is a very old English dance. There are 
innumerable changes, but those given here are the most 
popular. 

FIRST CHANGE. 

First lady and opposite gentleman forward and back ; 
same couple forward a second time, turn with right hand, 
and return to places. First 



FIRST COUPLE. 



o 



and second couple cross 

over, first couple joining 

g hands and passing between 

o ^ ^ K the second couple, and re- 

g turn to places, the second 

^ ^ couple joining hands and 

H Oft ^ passing between the first. 

Balance at the corners, the 

SECOND COUPLE. ^^^^ j^^j^^ ^^ ^^^ gentlemen 

on the right, gentlemen facing the left, to return the bal- 
ance. Turn partners with both hands to places. Same 
for the other three couples. 

SECOND CHANGE. 

First couple forward and back. Forward a second 
time and leave lady in front of opposite couple facing 



158 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

her partner, gentleman returning to place. The same 
couple chasse to right and left, and turn to places with 
both hands. All eight forward and back in two lines ; 
forward and turn partners to places. In forming two 
lines first and second times, the side couples separate from 
their partners, and join each side of the head couples, 
forming two lines, four on a side ; third and fourth times 
the head couples join the sides. 

THIRD CHANGE. 

First gentleman and opposite lady forward and back. 
Forward a second time, and salute with a low bow and 
low, graceful courtesy, and return to places. The four 
ladies then form a windmill by giving their right hands, 
while the four gentlemen take their left hands, with their 
left hands, all facing the same direction, and promenade 
entirely around, and turn partners to places. 

Ladies grand chain is danced in Paris in place of the 
windmill. The three other couples dance the same. 

FOURTH CHANGE. 

First couple visit the couple on the right hand, salute 
with bow and courtesy. Visit the couple on the left 
and salute, then change across and salute same couple 
again. First couple return to place. Right and left 
with opposite couples. The other three couples dance 
the same. In Paris they dance it double, first and second 
couples at the same time, and so on. 



MUSICAL GAMES OR HOME DANCING. 159 

FIFTH CHANGE. 

Grand right and left. First couple turn and face out- 
ward. Then couple on the right take their place be- 
hind the first, then the couple on the left, the second 
couple behind all. All chasse across and back, gentle- 
men passing behind ladies. Promenade outside, ladies 
to the left. Gentlemen to right, meeting at the bottom 
and coming up together. All eight forward and back, 
ladies on one side, gentlemen on the other. All forward 
and turn partners to places. This is danced through till 
each couple has taken turn in being the leaders. 



4.— GRAND SQUARE. 

At the same time, the first lady and second gentleman, 
and the second lady and first gentleman, join hands and 

turn to the sides, while the 

third lady and fourth gen- 
O • tleman, and fourth lady 

and third gentleman, pass- 
co ^ ^^S ^^ *^® outside of the 

first and second couples, 
CO A © ^^ J^^^ hands and take the 

latters' place. Then they 
9 ^ pass on the inside and the 

others on the outside, each 

taking his own partner to 
place. Then repeat, only reversing it, by the first and 
second couples going on the outsid-e first, and the third 
and fourth inside. 



160 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

5. — LE PRINCE IMPERIAL QUADRILLE. 

(A new change, introduced by the Empress Eugenie.) 
FIRST CHANGE. LE CHAINE CONTINUE DES DAMES. 

Head couples to sides. First and second couples lead 
to right hand couples, and all salute (viz. first couple to 
third, second to fourth). First and second gentlemen 
retaining partner's hand, take with their left hands the 
left hands of the side ladies. The two threes thus prom- 
enade to places of head couples, second to first couples' 
place, first to second couples' place, all facing the centre. 
Ladies grand chain ; the four ladies, without the gentle- 
men, make a movement like the grand chain of the 
*' Lancers," by crossing over from head to head of sets, 
giving right hands ; passing from side to side, giving left 
hands ; again back from head to head of set, giving 
right hands ; and across again to side, giving left 
hands, ending with each lady in front of her partner, 
lady facing outward. All chasse to right and left and 
turn partners. By repeating this figure the first and 
second couples return to places, after which the side 
couples dance the figure twice through. 

SECOND CHANGE.- — LA NOUVELLE TRENIS. 

First gentleman and second lady forward, and turn 
with both hands, both stopping in front and facing the 
lady who was left in her place. Cross over ; the single 
lady passes between this couple and crosses to opposite 
gentleman, giving him hef left hand (that gentleman giv- 



MUSICAL GAMES, OR HOME DANCING. 161 

ing his left hand also), and turn to lady's place on right 
of that gentleman ; at the same time the other two cross 
over to first couple's place, and turn with left hands and 
face opposite couple. Forward four and back ; half 
ladies' chain (the ladies thus return to partners). All 
eight chasse across and turn at corners. All chasse 
back and turn partners. 

THIRD CHANGE. LA CORBEILLE. 

First gentleman leaves lady in the centre (the lady fa- 
cing outward), separating with salute. Second gentleman 
the same ; third gentleman the same ; fourth the same. 
Ladies hands around ; the four ladies, thus back to back, 
take hands and round to right, stopping in front of part- 
ners. Gentlemen forward. The four gentlemen advance 
and give right hands to partners and left hands to next 
lady, and make a large circle. All balance in circle, and 
turn partners to place. 

FOURTH CHANGE. LA DOUBLE PASTOURELLE. 

Forward four. First and second couples forward and 
back ; leave partners on sides ; first gentleman leaves his 
lady on left of third gentleman, and returns to place ; at 
the same time the second lady leaves her gentleman on 
right of fourth lady, and retires to place ; forward six ; 
the six on sides forward and back twice ; two forward ; 
the first gentleman and second lady forward and back. 
Forward again, salute, and pass to side where partners 
are. Four hands half around, with sides. Right and 
left to places. 



162 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

FIFTH CHANGE. LA TOURBILLON. 

Ladies to right. The four ladies pass to the gentle- 
man next on their right, and turn with him, both giving 
right hands. They pass again to the right, and turn 
with next gentleman (with same hands) ; they pass again 
and turn, finally pass again to the right, which brings all 
to partners. First couple forward and back. Turn 
with right hands ending in centre, face to face. All four 
to right and left. Turn to places. 

After the ladies repeat the first sixteen bars of this 
figure a fifth time, all the gentlemen place their partners 
in the centre, facing outward, each lady thus facing her 
own partner. Then the quadrille thus terminates by all 
saluting. 

6. — COMMON COTILLON. 

FIRST CHANGE. 

First and second couples right and left. The same 
couples balance. Ladies chain. Same half promenade, 
half right and left back. 

SECOND CHANGE. 

Forward two, first lady and second gentleman then 
cross over, chasse and return to places. Balance. 
Each couple the same. 

THIRD CHANGE. 

Right hand across, first anij second couples cross over, 
giving right hands to opposites as they pass. Left hands 



MUSICAL GAMES, OR HOME DANCING. 165 

back, which are retained, giving right hands to partners, 
thus forming a circle in the middle of the set. Balance 
in a circle, then cross to opposite sides ; chasse. Two 
ladies forward and back ; two gentlemen the same ; four 
forward and back ; right and left to places. Head 
couples repeat, then the sides the same. 

FOURTH CHANGE. 

Forward four and back ; forward a second time, first 
gentleman leaving first lady on the left of opposite gen- 
tleman ; three forward twice, second time first gentle- 
man handing both ladies to opposite gentleman ; three 
forward twice on opposite side, the second time stop in 
the centre ; four hands half around to the right and cross 
over. Right and left to places. Head couples repeat, 
then the sides go through the same figure. 

FIFTH CHANGE. JIG DANCE. 

Hands all around. All the ladies balance to and turn 
gentleman on the right, pass to the next, balance, &c. ; 
so on all around. Hands all around, or promenade all. 
Gentlemen then pass to the right, the same as the ladies. 
All promenade, or all hands around. 



7. — WHITE COCKADE. 

First couple fcalance to right ; four hands around ; 
first couple balance to left ; four hands around ; hands 
all around. This is repeated by the other couples. 



164 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



8. — THE NINE-PIN DANCE. 

Eight must form a cotillon ; the ninth must stand at 
the side and call any changes he pleases, and lastly call 
grand right and left. When he claps his hands, they 
must all promenade. The one calling must then, if pos- 
sible, secure a partner. If the attempt is successful, the 
one left out must call the changes of the dance ; and so on. 



9.— BASKET DANCE. 

Forward two ; balance ; ladies' hands around in 
centre ; left to right ; gentlemen join hands outside the 
ladies and pass around, stopping on the left of partners ; 
gentlemen pass their joined hands over the heads of 
ladies (ladies standing still), and form the basket; all 
balance and turn partners. 



10. — THE WALTZ AND POLKA QUADRILLE. 

The changes in these quadrilles are the same as in the 
common cotillon, except that a waltz or polka is played, 
and all the changes are danced either with the waltz or 
polka step, and at the end of each change, all waltz or 
polka around. . 



MUSICAL GAMES, OR HOME DANCING. 165 



11. -- CALEDONIAN QUADRILLES. 

FIRST CHANGE. 

First and second couples cross right hands, left hands 
back ; balance, and turn partners ; ladies' chain ; half 
promenade and half right and left to places. Kepeat 
. twice. 

SECOND CHANGE. 

Gentlemen forward and back twice ; all balance to 
corners and turn each lady, passing into the next lady's 
place ; all promenade. This figure to be repeated four 
times. 

THIRD CHANGE. 

First lady and opposite gentleman forward and back 
twice ; first couples pass between opposite couples in 
crossing over, and return outside ; balance to corners, 
and turn to places ; all join hands in a circle and for- 
ward and back twice. Repeat four times.- 

FOURTH CHANGE. 

First lady and opposite gentleman forward and stop ; 
partners the same ; turn partners to their places ; 
four ladies change places to the right ; gentlemen 
change places to the left ; ladies change places again 
to the right ; gentlemen change again to the left ; all 
around to their places, and turn partners. Repeat four 
times. 



166 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

FIFTH CHANGE. 

First couple promenade around inside ; ladies all for- 
ward to centre ; give right hands and back to places ; 
gentlemen the same ; balance to partners and turn ; 
grand right and left half round ; promenade to places 
and turn partners ; all chasse across, giving right hands 
at corners and back to places. Repeat four times ; then 
all promenade. 



12. — SIR ROGER DE COVERLET, OR VIR- 
GINIA REEL. 

Danced with eight couples or more in two lines, the 
ladies on one side, gentlemen on the other, facing each 
other. The top lady and bottom gentleman execute each 
figure, and are immediately followed by the bottom lady 
and top gentleman, in the following order : Forward and 
back ; forward and turn with the right hand and back to 
places ; turn with the left and back ; then with both 
hands and back, forward and dos-a-dos and back ; for- 
ward and back (this is often danced by the two top ladies 
and two bottom gentlemen at once). The lady then 
turns with the left hand every gentleman down the line, 
while her partner turns every lady, turning his partner 
alternately with the right hand. When arrived at the 
bottom, chasse back to the head, separate from partner, 
lady passing down the line outside of the ladies, and the 
gentlemen outside the gentlemen, all in each line follow- 
ing, meeting partners at the bottom and then chasse up 
the centre, when first couple chasse down the middle 



MUSICAL GAMES, OR HOME DANCING. 167 

and take their positions below the last couple. The 
figure is continued by the new couple at the head, and so 
on, till all have danced the whole figure. 



13. — MARCH QUADRILLE. 

First couple promenade round the outside of the 
quadrille, stopping at their original place, but facing out- 
wards. Third couple the same, taking the place behind 
the first. Second couple round, stopping behind the 
third. Fourth couple round, stopping behind the 
second. The leader then arranges the sets in proper 
lines. A march then follows. All march towards the 
head of the room. The couples separating at the top, 
the ladies turn to the right, the gentlemen to the left, 
marching separately to the lower end of the room. 
Join arms and march up between the lines, until the 
first couple arrives at the head again. This may be 
repeated two or three times. 

After the march, separate from partners and form 
two lines, facing each other. First couple balance and 
turn, then chasse down the middle, taking position 
below the last couple. As soon as the first couple 
commence to chasse down the middle, the second com- 
mence the balance and turn ; and when the second 
couple chasse the third couple commence — all taking 
places below the previous couple, until finally the first 
couple is at the head again. All forward and back. 
Turn partners to place again. 



168 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

Sometimes, of late, instead of one, four couples at a 
time balance and chasse down the middle. 

This is a great improvement, and should be generally- 
adopted, as it makes the dance much more lively, 
and destroys that tediousuess, which so strongly marked 
this quadrille. 



HEAD-WORK. 169 



ieab-^flrk. 



The following conundrums, riddles, &c., are given 
merely as suggestions. The conundrums most produc- 
tive of amusement are those made in the course of 
general conversation. A happy party, in the course of 
a long and stormy evening, may make more and better 
ones than are to be found in any one book. If those 
given here attract the attention and excite the ingenuity 
of the boys and girls who read them, a great deal of 
home pleasure will be the result. 



l._ CONUNDRUMS. 

1. "Why will the emblems of the United States last 
longer than those of England, France, Scotland, and 
Ireland ? 

2. What is the diiFerence between a falling star and 
dew? 

3. Why does a conductor punch a hole through your 
ticket ? 

12 



170 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

4. Why are dogs and cats like schoolmasters and 
pupils ? 

5. Why is a convalescent like a reprieved man ? 

6. What is that which you never have, and yet often 
give up? 

7. Why is a cross old bachelor like a hard baked loaf 
of bread? 

8. Why is grass like a mouse? 

9. Why is a good wife like the evil one? 

10. Why is a sword like lager beer ? 

11. Why is the gray hair of a person who has had 
many trials like a plated spoon ? 

12. Why was not Noah a good mouser? 

13. Why is a bald head like heaven? 

14. What two letters make a county in Massa- 
chusetts ? 

15. Who was the first carpenter? 

16. Why are good resolutions like fainting ladies? 

17. When is the best time to read the book of 
Nature ? 

18. Why are the names of Emmy and Addie like 
fishermen ? 

19. When do flowers become highwaymen? 

20. Why ought Hannibal to have fought like a bull? 

21. Why was it that Hannibal fought with dogged 
pertinacity ? 

22. What great man would you call upon to build a 
fire? 

23. Among what metals does Bonner's horse Dexter 
rank? 

24. What is the difference in a smart Hebrew trades- 
man and a Hebrew just recovered from sickness? 



HEAD-WORK. 171 

25. Why was the Fenian raid like the language of the 
French Canadians? 

26. What fish resembled the learned pig? 

27. Why is an unwelcome visitor like a shade tree? 

28. Why is a son who objects to his mother's second 
marriage like an exhausted pedestrian? 

29. What flower would make the best piano? 

. 30. Can you tell when there were only two vowels? 

31. When is it that a blacksmith raises a row in the 
alphabet ? 

32. Why is a hare easier to catch than an heiress? 

33. Can you tell a man in one word that he took a 
late breakfast or supper ? 

34. What is the difference between a auction and 
sea-sickness ? 

35. Why is life the most difficult of riddles? 

36. What should people who are always behindhand 
be fed on ? 

37. Can you tell me why 
A hypocrite sly 

Is the man who best knows 
Upon how many toes 
A pussy cat goes ? 



2. — ENIGMAS, CHARADES, AND RIDDLES. 

1. My first a baby does when you pinch it ; 

My second a lady says, when she does not mean it ; 
My third exists, though no man e'er has seen it ; 
My whole contains the world's best half within it. 



172 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

2. My first is myself, in a very sharp word ; 
My second is the name of a plaything, 
And you are my whole in a word. 

3. There sits two legs holding up one leg, 

Up jumps four legs and runs away with one leg. 

4. We are twin brothers, and in vain 
We never meet but to complain. 

5. My first is a bird, my second is a bird, and my 
whole is a bird. 

6. A young man leaving his home, said my whole. 
He rode a few miles on a stage coach, and gave the 
driver my first. As the day grew warmer, the coach 
stopped by my second, where he refreshed himself. 

7. My first is a small animal ; my second ladies dis- 
like ; my whole, boys need much oftener than they 
obtain. 

8. My first is not old ; my second grows on a bush ; 
my third is a kind of wine ; my whole is a city of New 
England. 

9. Whole, I am part of the American flag ; 

Long may it wave over land and sea ! 
Behead me, and then from my glory I fall, 
Becoming a liquid that flows from a tree. 

10. We left our little ones at home. 

And whither went, we did not know ; 
We for the church's sake did roam. 

And lost our lives in doing so. 
We went right onward on the road, 

With all the wicked full in view ; 
We lived to man, we died to God, 

Yet nothing of religion knew. 



HEAD-WORK. 173 

11. My first is a famous watering-place in Engla,nd ; 
my second is a city where a mighty queen did dwell ; 
my whole is the name of a queen famous in ancient 
history. 

12. My whole is that which lightning does ; 

Beheaded, that which horses fear ; 
Behead again, and lo ! I a tree, 
A forest tree, will then appear. 

13. We are litttle airy creatures, 

All of different voice and natures ; 
One of us in glass is set. 
One of us you'll find in jet ; 
The other you may see in tin, 
And the fourth a box within ; 
If the fifth you should pursue, 
It can never fly from you. 

14. My parent bred me to the sea *, 

I've been where never man could be ; 
Long time I've ranged the ocean wide, 
And all the rage of storms defied ; 
The lowering clouds obscured the sky. 
And foaming billows mounted high ; 
Though winds with almost fury blew. 
And thunders rolled, and lightnings flew ; 
Waves, winds, and thunders, all in vain, 
Opposed my passage through the main. 
At length my parent died, and I 
On shore would fain my fortune try ; 
I left the sea, grew fond of show, 
Dressed neat, and soon became a beau. 



174 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

My body's taper, tall and straight, 
I chiefly dwell among the great ; 
Am like a bridegroom, clad in white, 
And much the ladies I delight ; 
Attend when Chloe goes to rest ; 
She's always by my presence blest ; 
No ghost or goblin can she fear, 
Nor midnight hag, if I am near. 
No more a seaman, bold and rough, 
I shine at balls, am fond of snuff. 
To gay assemblies I repair, 
And make a brilliant figure there. 
At last a burning fever came, 
That quite dissolved my tender frame ; 
I wasted fast, light-headed grew ; 
Of all my friends, not one I knew ; 
, Great drops of sweat ran down my side, 
And I, alas ! by inches died. 

15. Found long ago, yet made to-day, 

Employed while others sleep ; 
What few would wish to give away, 
And none would wish to keep. 

16. Two hundred men and women sitting, 
Talking, reading, sleeping, knitting ; 
Boston, Lynn, Salem, Andover, 

In, out, under, over. 

Tugging, bugging, dreaming, screaming. 
Rain, or snow, or sunshine beaming ; 
Buzz and stir, smoke and hissing, 
Often ends with hearty kissing. 



HEAD-WORK. 175 

17. 'Twas a winter day, and piercing cold, 

When I met my first, a little match girl ; 
She was poorly clad, and from the fold 
Of my second, strayed a tangled curl. 

It has been said that my whole is sweet, 

But my heart grew sad as I stroked .her brow, 

And I prayed that this poor child of the street, 
Might some day be happier, far, than now. 

18. My first denotes company, my second shuns com- 
pany, my third assembles company, and my whole 
amuses company. 

19. The first of my first, and the last of my last, is 
extensively used for building material. The last of my 
first, and the first of my last, exists in a great many 
shapes and sizes. The first of my first and the last of 
my last, is generally that of which the last of my first 
consists. My first is useful in form — house kitchens. 
My last is one of the many varieties of the first of my 
first. 

20. My first is what you are doing now ; 

My second is procured from stone ; 
Before my w^hole you often stand. 
But mostly w^hen you are alone. 

21o My first is French, my second English, and my 
whole is Latin. 

Riddles and enigmas were held in great estimation by 
the ancients. You all must remember Samson's great 
riddle in the Bible ; if you do not know it, we advise you 



176 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

to look in the Bible for it. Perhaps our young friends 
have never heard of the famous myth of the sphinx. 
Juno, in anger, was said to have sent against Thebes a 
monster lion with a woman's face, who proposed riddles 
and enigmas to all passers-by, and would devour them 
if they could not answer these riddles, &Co At length 
GEdipus passed, and the sphnix propounded a riddle to 
him which he guessed, and.the sphinx, defeated, destroyed 
herself. We will give this famous riddle, as many little 
ones may not know it. 

22. " What animal is it that walks on four legs in the 



3.— DOUBLE ACEOSTIC CHARADES, AND 
CROSS-WORD ENIGMAS. 

Double acrostic, in which the initials and finals 
form the title of a celebrated piece of pii^ry. Q>^ 

1. 1. To let down. 2. A part in singing. 3. Is 
language. 4. Part of a chain. 5. A tree. 

2. My first and second are both in hollow ; 
My third and fourth are both in follow ; 
My fifth and sixth are both in Spain ; 
My whole is a town in Maine. 

3. Hard it is to hold me captive, 

Subject to your whims control; 
Give me food, at least, in plenty, 
Or my death is on your soul. 



HEAD-WORK. 177 

(1.) When it's our neighbor's, 
We take it up in fun ; 

When it's ours only, 

We, grumbling, wish 'twere done. 
(2.) I love cold, cold loves me ; 

From touch of heat I flee ; 

And, sore weeping, cease to be. 
(3.) Two legs set on four legs, 

Jogging far and near. 
(4.) A little bit of charcoal, 

That ladies value dear, 

4. An English maid, so fair and full of grace. 
All heaven seems smiling in her sunny face ; 
A Spanish lady, stately, proud, and grand, 
Princes would vie to kiss her jewelled hand. 

(1.) From care and trouble, when we seek to flee. 

Our worn and tired frames we rest on thee. 
(2.) Hail, Muse, with love's sweet rose and myrtle 
crowned, 

And dance with perfumed footsteps o'er the 
ground. 
(3.) What we are taught in life's hard, cruel school, 

And all must learn, rich, poor, or wise, or fool. 
(4.) Named for Jewish patriarch of old, 

In speech and council sage, in action bold. 
(5.) Fortress and palace of the Moorish kings, 
(6.) Each crumbling stone of love, war, glory, sings. 

5. Long did her sad eyes court a mother's joy ; 

At length, past hope, she clasped her promised boy. 



178 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

(1.) The mountain quakes, fire flashes from its peaks. 
(2.) Dead falls the liar, while arraigner speaks. 
(3.) Weeping and wailing did thy streets affright. 
(4.) She in the temple writed day and night. 
(5.) How oft poor Juda saw the Syrian foe, 

Her fields stripped naked, and her towns laid low. 

6. The robe half woven, and the veil half wrought, 
The wreath scarce budding, and the rite unsaid, 
Her lover called her ; when his side she sought, 
The King of Terrors met her in his stead. 

(1.) You promised peace, but oft bestow disquiet. 

(2.) Wild justice named, but justice ran to riot. 

(3.) A turn oft agreed, never yet defined. 

(4.) The spendthrift's Nemeses that lags behind. 

(5 ) A queenly name, a saintly name, a homely name, 

also. 
In every land, in every tongue, in every book 'twill 

show. 

7. My first is in daisy, but not in rose ; 
My second's in treatise, but not in prose ; 
My third is in kicks, but not in blows ; 
My fourth is in ankle but not in toes ; 
My fifth is in lines, but not in rows ; 
My sixth is in nothing, and yet in nose ; 

My seventh's in choosing, in choosen, and chose ; 
My whole is an author that every one knows. 

8. My first is in wish, but not in hope ; 
My second's in line, but not in rope ; 



HEAD-WORK. 17& 

My third is in floor, but not in ground ; 

My fourth is in lost, but not in found ; 

My fiffh is in rill, but not in stream ; 

My sixth is in sea, but not in seen ; 

My last is in monkey, but not in toy ; 

My whole is a name which belongs to a boy. 



4. — PUZZLES. 

1. Add five strokes to these six marks I I 1 1 I I, and 
make nine. 

2. Why is this I 3 gone? 

3. Four people sat down one evening to play ; 
They played all that eve, and parted next day. 
Could you think, when you're told, as thus they all 

sat. 
No other played with them, nor was there one bet ; 
Yet when they rose up, each gained a guinea, 
Tho' none of them lost to the amount of a penny ? 

4. Look through the alphabet, and try 
If you the letter can descry. 
Which, added to those placed below, 
A small poetic verse will show. 

H n 1 d t w e z s t h u g 1 m X y w 1 , 
Thulvesttht, thulvestthwl; 
R n 1 d a k s y n z h 1 1 w t n e 
Slst, sslemn, sundsalne 
Smurnful, nnelvestg, 
Rfyuzhtinghwltknw. 



180 



AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



5. Procure six cards, and having ruled them as in the 
following diagrams, write in the figures neatly and legi- 
bly. It is required to tell the number thought of by any 
person, the numbers being contained in the cards, and 
not to exceed 60. How is this done? 



3 
13 


5 
15 


7 
17 


9 
19 


11 
21 


1 
23 




5 

14 

28 
52 

47 


6 
15 
29 
38 
53 


7 

20 
30 
39 
54 


13 
21 
31 
44 
55 


12 
22 
36 
45 
60 


4 

23 
37 
46 
13 


25 
37 
49 


27 
39 
51 


29 
41 
53 


31 
45 
55 


33 
43 

57 


35 

47 
59 



9 

14 
28 
42 


10 
15 
29 


11 
24 
30 


12 
25 
31 


13 
26 
40 


8 

27 
41 
47 




3 
14 
26 

38 
50 


6 

15 
27 
39 
51 


7 
18 
30 
42 
54 


10 
19 
31 
43 
55 


11 
22 
34 
46 

58 


2 

23 
35 
47 
59 


43 


44 


45 


46 


56 


57 


58 


59 


60 


13 



17 
22 

28 


18 


19 


20 
25 
31 
53 
59 


21 


16 
27 
49 
'55 
60 




33 
38 
44 


34 
39 
45 
51 
57 


35 


36 
41 
47 
53 
59 


37 
42 
48 
54 
60 


32 
43 
49 
55 
41 


23 


24 
30 
52 


26 

48 


40 
46 
52 


29 
51 


50 
56 


54 
30 


50 
56 


57 


58 


58 



These cards, copied on to six separate c^rds, could be 



HEAD-WORK. 181 

used in fortune telling. A child could declare by these 
she could tell the ages of any person present, if the per- 
son will select the card with the age upon it. 

6. First draw a square and divide it into four parts. 
Then made six marks in the first square, and say they 




represent six pigs, for you pretend to describe a farm- 
yard you once saw. In the next square make six more 
marks to represent cows, in the next square six more 
marks for horses, and the last square represent donkeys. 
7. Place eight counters or coins, as in the diagram 

below : 

®(D(D©®®®(D 

It is then required to lay-them in four couples, remov- 
ing only one at a time, and in each removal passing the 
one in the hand over two on the table. 



5.— ARITHMETICAL PROBLEMS. 

1. How many changes can be given to seven notes of 
a piano ? That is to say, in how many ways can seven 
keys be struck in succession, so that there shall be some 
diiference in the order of the notes each time ? 



182 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

2. An old man married a young woman ; their 
united ages amounted to one hundred. The man's age, 
multiplied by four and divided by nine, gives the wo- 
man's age. "What wevQ their respective ages ? 

3. The sum of four figures, in value will be 

Above seven thousand nine hundred and three ; 
But when they are halved, you'll find very fair, 
The sum will be nothing, in truth I declare. 

4. Two drovers, A and B, meeting on th« road, began 
discoursing about the number of sheep they each had. 
Says B to A, " Pray give me one of your sheep, and I 
will have as many as you." " Nay," replied A, '* but 
give me one of your sheep and I will have as many again 
as you." Required to know the number of sheep they 
each had? 

5. To five and five and fifty-five, 

The first of letters add ; 
It is a thing that pleased a king, 
And made a wise man mad. 



6. — SQUARING WORDS. 

FIRST SQUARE. 

1. A SHORT poem. 

2. The former governor of Algiers. 

3. And an important member of the human body. 



HEAD-WORK. 183 

SECOND SQUARE. 

1. The repose of Nature. 

2. The truant. 

3. That which tempted him to play truant. 

4. The place he searched for blackberries. 

• 5. The places where he sought birds' nests. 

THIRD SQUARE. 

1. A. 

2. A father. 

3. A changeful gem. 

4. That which we hope you will grow. 

"We have only selected a few examples of different 
kinds of trials of wit, hoping our young readers will 
strive to surpass them. 



184 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



%mbm U §m)iMQxk 



l._ CONUNDRUMS. 

1. The lily will wither aud fade away, 

The rose from its stem must sever, 
The shamrock and thistle will decay. 
But the stars will shine forever. 

2. One is missed from heaven, the other is mist from 
earth. 

3. To let you go through. 

4. One is of the canine, and the other of the feline 
species. 

5. lie can't cZ^gest {die just) yet. 

6. Conundrum. 

7. He is crusty. 

8. The cat'll eat it (the cattle eat it). 

9. She sows tares while the husbandman sleeps. 

10. Because it cannot be used till it is drawn. 

11. " It's silvered o'er with care." 

12. It took him forty days and nights to find Ara-rat. 

13. There is no parting there. 



ANSWERS TO HEAD-WORK. 185 

14. S. X. (Essex). 

15. Pharaoh who made a ruler of Joseph. 

16. They need carrying out. 

17. When spring opens the leaves, and autumn turns 
them. 

18. Because they drop the line. 

19. When they show pistils (pistols) and stamens 
(stay men). 

20. Because he was the son of Hamilcar (A milker). 

21. Because he belonged to the Barca family (Barker). 

22. Philip the great (fill up the grate). 

23. Asbestos (As best horse). 

24. One is a jews harp (Jew sharp), the other a jewel 
(Jew well). 

25. Because it was a patois (pat war). 

26. Tautog (taught hog). 

27. Because we are always glad when he leaves. 

28. Because he cannot go a step-/a^Aer (farther). 

29. Rosewood (rose would). 

30. It was in the days of Noah, before you and I 
were born (in the day of no a, before u and i were 
born). 

31. When he makes a poke r (poker) and shove 1 
(a shovl). 

32. It is because an heiress has an i, and a hare has 
none. 

33. Attenuate (at ten you ate). 

34. One is the sale of effects, the other the effects of 
a sail. 

35. Because all must give it up. 

36. Cat-sup (catch up). 

13 



186 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

37. A hypocrite neat, 

Can best count her feet (counterfeit), 
And so, I suppose, 
Can best count her toes. 



2. — ANSWERS TO ENIGMAS, CHARADES, 
AND RIDDLES. 

1. Cry-no-line. 

2. I-dol. 

3. A man holding a leg of mutton ; a dog jumps up 
and runs away with it. 

4. Mar-mar. 

5. Sparrow-hawk. 

6. Fare- well. 

7. Rat-tan. 

8. Newbury-port. 

9. S-toe. 

10. The kine that bore the ark. 1 Samuel vi. 
10, 12, 14. 

11. Bath sheba. 

12. Flash. 

13. The bowels. 

14. A spermaceti candle. 

15. A bed. 

16. Railway-train. 

17. Childhood. 

18. Conundrum. 

19. Woodbox, boxwood. 

20. Looking-glass. 



ANSWERS TO HEAD-WORK. 



187 



21. Latin. 

22. Man ; who crawls in infancy, walks erect in man- 
hood, and supports his steps in age with a cane. 



3. ^ANSWERS TO DOUBLE ACROSTIC CHA. 
RADES AND CROSS-WORD ENIGMAS. 

5. Ash. 



1. 


1. Lower. ' 


2. Alto. 3. Lingo. 


4. Link. 


Lalla-Rookh. 






2. 


Hollis. 






3. 


Bird. 




Seed. 




B 


1. Business. 


s 




I 


2. Ice. 


E 




R 


3. Ride. 


E 




D 


4. Diamond. 


D 


4. 


Bella. 




Donna. 




B 


1. Bed. 


D 




E 


2. Erato. 


O 




L 


3. Lesson. 


N 




L 


4. Lincoln. 


N 




A 


5. Alhambra. 


A 


5. 


Sarah. 




Isaac. 




S 


1. Sinai. 


I 




A 


2. Ananias. 


S 




R 


3. Rama. 


A 




A 


4. Anna. 


A 




H 


5. Havoc. 


C 



188 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 

6. Bride. Death. 



B 


1. 


Bed. 


D 


R 


2. 


Revenge. 


E 


I 


3. 


Idea. 


A 


D 


4. 


Debt. 


T 


E 


5. 


Elizabeth. 


H 


7. Dickens. 








8. William. 









4. — ANSWER TO PUZZLES. 

1. NINE. 

2. Because it is D parted (departed). 

3. Four merry fiddlers played all night 

To many a dancing ninny ; 
And the next morning went away, 
And each received a guinea. 

4. The letter O inserted thus, before and after the 
consonants : — 

" 0, on old towers, thou gloomy owl. 
Thou lovest to hoot, thou lovest to howl. 

" Or on old oak, your hollow tone. 
So lost, so solemn, sounds alone. 
So mournful no one loves to go, 
Or of your hooting howl to know." 

5. Request the person to give all the cards containing 
the number he has fixed upon, and then add all the right 



ANSWERS TO HEAD-WORK. 18h 

hand upper corner figures together, which will give the 
correct answer. For example : Suppose 10 is the num- 
ber thought of, the cards with 2 and 8 in the corners will 
be given, which makes the answer 10. 

6. In the last square you must only make five marks, 
and then ask the one you are talking to, to count and 
see if all are right ; if you do it carelessly, and he is off 
his guard, he wdll probably say, " One of the donkeys 
are wanting." You then must slyly say, " If you'll 
jump in, all will be right." Such simple " sells" often 
cause a good laugh. 

7. Place 4 on 7, 6 on 2, 1 on 3, 8 on 5, 5 on 2, 3 on 7, 
8 on 6, 4 on 1, &c. 



5. — ANSWERS TO ARITHMETICAL 
PROBLEMS. 

1. 7x6x5x4x3X2x1, result is 5,040, the num- 
ber of changes. 

2. The man's age was 69 years and 12 weeks. The 
woman's, 30 years and 40 weeks. 

3. The four figures are 8 8 8 8, which being divided 
by a line drawn through the middle, become §^oo- The ' 
sum of which is eight Os, or nothing. 

4. A had seven, and B had five sheep. 

5. This puzzle has yet no answer. I trust some of 
the readers of this book will be able to send us a correct 
answer, as there is a way to solve it. 



190 AMERICAN HOME BOOK. 



6. — ANSWERS TO SQUARINa WORDS. 

1. - 2. 3. 

ODE NIGHT SPOT 

DEY IDLER PAPA 

EYE GLADE OPAL 

HEDGE TALL 

TREES 



List of Books Recently Published 

BV 

LEE & SHEPARD, 

149 Washington Street, Boston. 



EUROPEAN TRAVEL. 



OVER THE OCEAN, OR SIGHTS AND SCENES IN 
FOREIGN LANDS. By Curtis Guild, editor Boston 
Commercial Bulletin, i vol. Crown 8vo. Price, $2.50. 

This bright and vivacious book of foreign travel has received 
the most flattering encomiums from the press all over the 
country. 

The New York Tribune says : — 

"Guild's choice of topics is excellent ; the interest of his descriptions never 
flags. No virtuous American with the hope of a Parisian heaven before his 
eyes should fail to remember this volume while packing for the voyage." 
The New York A Ibion says : — 

" This is certainly a collection of some of the most perfect pen-pictures of 
Sights and Scenes in Foreign Lands we have ever read." 
Rev. H. W. Bellows says, va. ^?: Liberal Christian: — 

"It is one of the best books of foreign travel ever published in this 
country." 
Rev. Edward Everett Hale, says: — 

" I read it with constant interest — and I read but few books of traveL" 

AN AMERICAN WOMAN IN EUROPE. The journal' of two 

weeks' sojourn in France, Switzerland, Italy, and Ger- 
many. By Mrs. S. R. Urbino, author of "The Princes 
of Art." i2mo. Cloth. $1.50. 

The Providence Press says : — 

" A pleasant gossip with an intelligent person who has just returned from 
Europe, and all the little details of daily Hfe, combined with the cost of every- 
thing, is given with an ease and grace which is charming." 
The Phila. Jotcrnal of Commerce says : — 

"A remarkably pleasant and chatty book of travel." 
The Chicago Commercial says : — 

"A pleasant break in the monotony of stories of European trips. 
" She tells you the best and cheapest way to travel, the shortest and pleas- 
antest routes, the best sights to see, the best hotels to live in, and just how 
much it costs to travel, see, or live in the far countries she describes." 



NEW AND ATTRACTIVE PUBLICATIONS 

OF 

LEE & SHEPARD, 

PUBLISHERS AND BOOKSELLERS, 
B O S T o isr. 

LEE, SHEPAED & DILLINaHAM, New York. 



"A Grand Success." 

THE AMERICAN GIRL ABROAD. By Miss Adeline 
Trapton. Illustrated. $1.75. 

" A bright, merry-hearted girl, ' off on a ^ood time,' and she and her 
readers are decidedly of the opinion that the journey was a great success." 
— Liberal Christian. 

"A delightful Book, original and enjoyable." 

THE DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER. By Sophie May. Illus- 
trated. 1.50. 

"So lovable and so genuine that she takes one's heart by storm," — 
Ifew York Republican. 

"A Book every Girl will be delighted with." 

SALLY WILLIAMS, THE MOUNTAIN GIRL By Mus. 

Edna D. Cheney. Illustrated, f 1.50. 

" Mrs. Cheney's stories have all the charm of romance, and better than 
that, a power to do good by their wholesome unobtrusive teachings." 

" Another of the Girlhood Series." 

ONLY GIRLS. By Miss Virginia F. Townsend, Author of 

" Deering Farm," " Daryll's Gap," &c. Illustrated. $1.50. 

Miss Townsend is a charming writer, and this one of her very best 
productions. 



Lee 6r» Shepard^s Recent Publications. 



NEW JUVENILE BOOKS. 



THE DICK AND DAISY SERIES. Bj Miss Adelaide 

F. Samuels. Four vols. Illustrated. Per vol., 50 cts. 

"A very pretty box of small books for the juveniles. There are four vol- 
umes,.,of a hundred pages each. We have first the Early Days of Dick and 
Daisy, 'Adrift in the World ; ' their City Life, ' Fighting the Battle ; ' their 
Proteges, 'Saved from the Street;' and their Reward, or ' Grandfather Mil- 
ly's Luck.' This is a charming collection, written by Miss Adelaide F. Sam- 
uels, of whom, judging from these volumes, the world will hear more here- 
after. " — A merican Baptist. 

SINGULAR CREATURES ; Being studies and Stories from 
the Domestic Zoology of our Parish. By Mrs. George 
CuppLES, author of " Driven to Sea," &c. i6mo. Illus- 
trated. Cloth. $1.50. 
The London papers thus speak of the authoress : — 

" Of the miscellaneous articles, none are more charming than those by Mrs. 
Geo. Cupples. . . . Her stories are for all readers, whether few or many 
years old." — Londoii Times {The Thunderer). 

*' Mrs. Geo. Cupples, who is already very favorably known as the writer of 
any number of capital stories for juveniles, has succeeded in this instance in 
producing a charming story." — Scotsman. 

"Wft shall be mistaken if these well-written stories do not commend them- 
selves to the good judgments of our readers." — I^ew Monthly Magazine. 

" Very interesting, and will afford many hours of amusement. " — Observer. 

^^'^^Tj charming and attractive." — Lotidon Record. 

" Nicely and freshly written, perfectly healthy in tone, and remarkable for 
a pleasant flow of hmnan kindness." — London Illustrated News. 

THE AMERICAN HOME BOOK of Indoor Games, Amuse- 
ments, and Occupations. Bj Mrs. Caroline L. Smith 
(Aunt Carrie). i6mo. Illustrated. $1.50. 

"In compiling this 'American Home Book,' the author has admirably suc- 
ceeded in mingling both work and play, and such amusements have been 
selected, together with directions for useful and ornamental work, as can be 
recommended to our young readers. Among its contents are : Amusements 
for little boys and girls, musical and other games for little children, games of 
memory, games for old and young, new games, material magic, head work, 
answers to head work, amusements for Christmas holidays, Christmas, ven- 
triloquism, gardening, flowers, house and home arts, the toilet, home reading 
the sick room, directions for making bread, yeast, &c." — Eagle, Pittsfield, 



Lee fip* Shepard's Recent Publications. 



WORTHY PARTICULAR ATTENTION. 



PENS AND TYPES. Hints and Helps to all who Write, 
Print, or Read. By Benjamin Drew. i6mo. Cloth. 
$1.50. 

" ' Pens and Types ' is the title of a little book by Benjamin Drew, con- 
taining such hints and guides for people who write for the press, and printers, 
as long experience in the work of proof reading has taught him to be essen- 
tial. There are two classes of people who never properly prepare their man- 
uscript for publication — those who do not know how to do it, and those who 
do not care whether they do it or not. The former may be benefited by these 
hints ; the latter are incorrigible. " — Boston A dvertiser. 

BEHIND THE BARS. i2mo. Cloth. $2.cx). 

"We have read it with no little interest. It treats of a class of persons 
who, incapable of judging for themselves, should be the more carefiilly and 
tenderly looked after by their relatives, friends, and the State ; and should not 
be confided to institutions, without continuous scrutiny and attention. We 
have heard of some sad delinquency on the part of those to whose care such 
sufferers have been committed." — Methodist Protestant. 

" Many works upon the treatment proper for insane patients have been pub- 
lished ; but never, we believe, until now, has one been produced so well cal- 
culated by its details to promote the essential benefit of those whose state so 
strongly appeals to the liveliest sympathies of mankind." 

ART ; Its Laws and the Reasons for Them. Collected, con- 
densed, and arranged for General and Educational Pur- 
poses. Bj Samuel P. Long, Counsellor at Law, Student 
of the English Royal Academy, and Pupil of the late 
Gilbert Stuart Newton, R. A. i2mo. Cloth. With 
Steel Engravings and Wood-Cuts. $3.00. 

Hon. George B. Emerson, in a note to the author, says : — 

" I believe that any person who shall carefully read it would so understand 
the principles, and have his eyes opened to the beauties of art, that he would 
never look upon a picture, a statue, or a noble building, without more interest 
and a higher power of appreciating and enjoying it." 

TILESTON'S HAND-BOOK OF THE ADMINISTRA- 
TIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. i6mo. Flexible. 
With Photographs of the Presidents from Washington 
to Grant. $1.50. Large paper copies (limited), $2.50. 

"From this excellent beuinning to the conclusion, the book is replete with 
the most interesting information. Each Administration receives its fair share 
of outline. When there have been messages or proclamations of importance, 
they are given either fully or in well-chosen extracts. Especial attention has 
been given to Mr Lincoln, and indeed, an epitome of the \var is thus pre- 
sented. Besides a history in brief of each President and his policy, we find 
lists of the different Cabinets, and an analysis of contemporaneous history. 
The style is clear and concise ; and the book forms an entertaining and usefui 
manual. If the reader could remember its contents, he would be well in* 
formed as to the entire history of this country." — Philadelphia Age. 



NEW PUBLICATIONS OF LEE <5r» SHEPARD. 

"One hundred and twenty Selections." 

MISCELLANEOUS READINGS IN PROSE AND VERSE. 
By Prof. L. B. Monroe. $1.50. 

" Some of the best thing's of current literature may be found gathered 
here." — Boston Advertiser. 

" For Social Amusements." 

SOCIAL CHARADES AND PARLOR OPERAS. By M. T. 
Calder, Author of "College Ned," &c. 16mo. Cloth, 75c; 
fancy bound, 60c. 

*' These charades and operas, prepared for- private representation, hav 
been received with great favor by those requiring exhibition pieces." 

Underwood's American Authors. 

HAND-BOOK OF ENGLISH LITERATURE. Intended foi 

the use of High Schools, as well as a Companion and Guide 

for Private Students, and for General Readers. (American 

Authors.) By F. H. Underwood, A. M. Crown 8vo. Cloth. 

$2.50. 

It is confined to American authors, and includes the most prominent 
writers in the three periods which cover our entire national history. 

Underwood's British Authors. 

HAND-BOOK OF ENGLISH LITERATURE. Intended for 
the use of High Schools, as well as a Companion and Guide 
for Private Students, and for General Readers. (British 
Authors.) By Francis H. Underwood, A. M. Crown 8vo. 

Cloth. $2.50. 

Mr. Underwood's Biographical Notices, which precede the selections 
from prominent authors, are admirable in construction, gems of literary 
work, attractive and valuable. 

The Young Voyagers again. 

YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD. By Oliver Optic. To be 
completed in 6 volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., $1.50. 

1. UP THE BALTIC. 

2. NORTHERN LANDS. 

3. CROSS AND CRESCENT. 
A librai*y of romantic travel and adventure. 



NEW PUBLICATIONS OF LEE 6- SHEPARD, 

Sophie May's K"ew Books. 

LITTLE PRUDY'S FLYAWAY SERIES. By Sophie Mat. 

To be completed in* 6 volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., 75c. 

1. LITTLE FOLKS ASTRAY. 

2. PRUDY KEEPING HOUSE. 

3. AUNT MADGE'S STORY. 

4. LITTLE GRANDMOTHER. 

" There are no more popular books than those written by Sophie May. 
All the Sabbath schools indorse them, and all the good, kind parents buy 
them for their children." 

Prof. De Mille's Books. 

THE YOUNG DODGE CLUB. By James De Mille. 
To be completed in 6 volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., f 1.50. 

1. AMONG THE BRIGANDS. 

2. THE SEVEN HILLS. 

" Prof. De Mille is one of the most versatile writers for the young of 
the day. His stories abound in fun, adventure, and information." 

A Favorite Series. 

THE B. 0. W. C. STORIES. By James De Mille. 
6 volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., $1.50. 

1. THE B. O. W. C. 

2. THE BOYS OF GRAND PRE SCHOOL. 

3. LOST IN THE FOG. 

4. FIRE IN THE WOODS. 

5. PICKED UP ADRIFT. 

6. THE TREASURE OF THE SEAS. 

By a Pleasing "Writer. 

DICK TRAVERS ABROAD. By Miss Adelaide F Sam- 
uels. 4 volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., 50c. 

1. PALM LAND. ^ 

. r. ?t» 'OQ 2. THE LOST TAR. 

^^ " 3. ON THE WAVE. \ 

4. LITTLE CRICKET. 
By the author of " Dick and Daisy Series." 



iiHimSl 



LP 020 237 521 2 






■ ->1 



V-M 



